


Soft Tempest

by SpecterQueen



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alpha Shiro (Voltron), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Explicit Sexual Content, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Hand fasting, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mildly Dubious Consent, Multi, Multiple Pairings, Multiple Relationships, Near Death Experiences, Neo-Paganism, Omega Keith (Voltron), Omega Lance (Voltron), Omegaverse, Pagan Festivals, Recreational Drug Use, Threesome - M/M/M, Underage Drinking, Underage Sex, only in chapter 1, pagan au, traumatic injuries
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-24
Updated: 2018-07-07
Packaged: 2018-12-19 05:38:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 26,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11891154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpecterQueen/pseuds/SpecterQueen
Summary: Keith and Lance are modern pagans living in a secretive world steeped in magic and tradition, trying to make their unconventional relationship work. Shiro stumbles into this world and suddenly finds himself in a bond with these two stunning young men. They all struggle to adjust and have a year and a day to figure each other out. Will the bonds between the three grow stronger, or break?This is basically the pagan (witch) equivalent of a fake marriage story, though hand fasting is more of a relationship test run. I’ll try to be informative about paganism in between the shenanigans and smut.





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a pagan (modern witch) au that takes place in the omegaverse. It is also multiship, starting out with Klance, including Sheith, Shance, and endgame Shklance.
> 
> There will be dream sequences and flashbacks. They’re one of my favorite (overused) tropes. To avoid confusion all dream sequences and flashback sections will be in italics. As a pagan myself, I hope to make this somewhat informative but we’ll see how that goes. Of course, I will be taking artistic liberties with these concepts, so don’t take them all at face value. 
> 
> **Please mind the tags!** They will be updated as I go. To avoid confusion, I’ve made Lance and Keith the same age in this. They’re both 19 going on 20. Shiro will be 26. 
> 
> Shout-out to [nanamo](http://nanamo.tumblr.com/) in tumblr land for helping me brainstorm this story, giving me wonderful ideas, and generally being a lovely person! Thanks, babe! You’re a perfect fandom partner-in-crime~ ♡

 

 

“I can tell when Murphy’s Law is going to happen.”

“What?” Lance looked up from the tarot deck he was shuffling.

“There’s like…this feeling I get before something is going to go wrong,” said Keith hunched over the low table, poking at a shell full of ashes. “It’s subtle but it usually helps me avoid bad things. How do you think I was able to hitchhike here safely back then? It wasn’t just dumb luck.”

Lance stared at him blankly for a moment then continued shuffling. “You’re full of shit.” He set the cards on the table. “Plus, I thought you said you used protection spells. You gonna cut this deck or what?”

“What kind of reading are you doing?” asked Keith as he cut the deck.

A lazy breeze rustled the sheer curtains as it passed through the open French doors, carrying the scent of saltwater and flowers. Lance looked outside to his private, landscaped backyard and smiled as he took up the deck.  

“Three card spread. Past, present, future. I’m using the major arcana deck to keep this simple. Focus is your life in general, let’s say your pathetic excuse for a social life?”

“Excuse me?” snapped Keith. “Yeah, because yours is so great.”

“First card!” declared Lance, ignoring the comment and smacking one down onto the weathered wooden table. “The Empress reversed, indicating neglect and lack of affection in your past. No surprises there. Next card!”

Keith rolled his eyes and rested his head on his hand as Lance whipped out another card, placing it beside the first in a practiced motion.

“The Moon,” he said, furrowing his brows slightly. “Illusions and intuition, fantasies and fears…do we need to talk?”

“We already talk. Frequently.”

“No, I’m serious!” Lance leaned forward over the table, nearly pushing some clutter off the edge. “I know your past bothers you...are you having the nightmares again? You know you can tell me. I won’t say anything to Allura or Thace.”

Keith regarded Lance evenly for a moment before shaking his head. “I’m fine. No nightmares…just feeling a little stagnant is all. Do the last card.”

Lance stared at him, searching for any hint of dishonesty. Satisfied Keith was speaking the truth he sat back down and flipped out the last card. “Ooooh, the Lovers! That one’s pretty self explanatory…wait, if this is the future, are you going to ditch me?!”

“That’s always a valid option,” said Keith, despite the fact he knew it would cause an argument.

“Oh my _gods_ , that’s so cruel, Keith!” cried Lance surging forward and slapping his palms on the table. Several things rolled over the edge and clattered on the floor. “I thought we agreed not to let the prophecies get in the way of what we have!”

“Who said anything about the prophecies? What if I find a nice person to hook up with at the festival?”

“You wouldn’t…” said Lance with a scowl.

“Why the hell not?” said Keith leaning back casually on his arms. “You fucked that girl last year. I still need to get you back for that.”

“Are you _still_ upset about that?” Lance sat back with a huff and crossed his arms. “I told you it didn’t mean anything. Summer festivals are great for casual sex and the clan’s aren’t even remotely conservative. You weren’t raised in this, but let me tell you, they encourage that type of behavior!”

“Just because they encourage it doesn’t mean you should do it,” muttered Keith. “Plus, we agreed that our other partners need to be approved by each other…and you weren’t even in heat.”

“I told you I was sorry but I can’t take it back now, can I? Besides, we’ve never really been exclusive. You’re the one always going on about not wanting to label it.”

“Because…what good does it really do if we consider it a true relationship?” asked Keith with a subtle strain in his voice. He turned his gaze to the open doors, mouth drawn into something between a pout and a scowl. “It may only be a matter of time before we’re forced into bonds with strangers…”

Lance made a small distressed sound before scrambling around the table and slinking between Keith’s legs. “You shush now,” he said, smoothing dark hair from Keith’s forehead and kissing it lightly. He then moved down to his cheek, framed Keith’s face with his hands, and kissed him on the mouth. “A silly prophecy about bonding us to hypothetical alphas is not nearly enough to keep me away from you.”

“I want to believe that,” said Keith with a weak smile.

“Then believe it,” said Lance kissing Keith again and again, gently forcing him down against the area rug on the floor.

Once Keith was flat on his back, Lance pressed his body against him, one hand traveling down to grasp Keith’s thigh and tug. Keith shifted to accommodate the manipulation, marveling in the way they seemed to slot together so well. As Lance slowly worked his mouth open and dipped his tongue inside, Keith let out a satisfied hum, settling his roaming hands on Lance’s back.

“Mmm…stop,” said Keith in-between kisses, before he finally resorted to turning his head away and gently pushed Lance’s face back. “Don’t get me too riled up, I have class soon.”

Undeterred, Lance pulled the collar of Keith’s shirt down and started to suck at the juncture of his neck and shoulder. “Quickie then?”

“Not enough time.” Keith took hold of Lance’s head and forced it up. He was met with a disappointed pout. “I’ll come over later, okay?”

“Bring food,” demanded Lance, finally relenting and withdrawing to readjust his clothes. “Something good. No shitty fast food.”

Keith nodded, gathered up his bag, and left the beach house without another word. Lance did not see him out to his car, which was normal. Their relationship functioned on familiarity, born of rivalry and hard earned affection. Running his hand over the glossy, cherry red paint job on his classic Buick Skylark, Keith paused for a few minutes to appreciate what his life had become. He had gone from foster care, to hitchhiker following a dead-end lead, to homeless, to being adopted into a mysterious, old clan by none other than the leader of the clan.

He sat in the driver’s seat and started the muscle car. The engine he had rebuilt with his own hands and help from friends and family he never thought he’d have roared to life. Sweet music to his ears, he mused as he revved it a couple times to annoy Lance, put it in drive, and tried not to peel out of his driveway. Thace would be upset if he burned out another pair of tires.

The day was predictably mind-numbing since his current college course load was light and basic, even with accelerated summer classes. He would have preferred to get a job for the summer, but Thace had shot the idea down and firmly suggested that Keith continue to focus on his education instead. Money wasn’t an issue for them and he was positive Keith knew the value of hard work.

The professor droned on about literature he was already well familiar with, so Keith took the opportunity to let his mind wander. It decided to revisit the night Lance and his relationship had shifted into something more. Like most things between them, the shift had not been subtle. More of a leap, if he was being honest.

 

_The Summer Solstice festival that doubled as Lance’s early birthday celebration had came and went with much merriment. It usually took days to recover from, but something wasn’t quite right that year. Keith had always known he was an omega, but finally having his first heat at 17 was an intense reminder of his secondary gender. It was the moment he had been prepared to face and quite frankly came late enough that he had started to doubt that it ever would. His clan had worked it up as some kind of mystical and sacred experience, the first heat of the “chosen one”. It felt anything but those things and his temperature was surely soaring in the hundreds. He felt miserable._

_The signs leading up to it had been muted and easily passed off as flukes. The increase in appetite could’ve been a late growth spurt, the subtle cramping deep in his abdomen was just something that upset his stomach, the heightened sense of smell was weird but not alarming. For someone that was being raised around pagans and practitioners of magic all of those things did not seem strange in the least. And truly, they weren’t. They were all completely natural._

_By some bizarre stroke of luck or misfortune, depending on how you looked at it, Thace was gone when the heat struck in full force. He was away gods-know-where for a long weekend visiting their soothsayer, affectionately dubbed “the Hermit”. While Thace may have been able to help him, being an alpha would’ve made the situation strained and awkward. He more than likely would’ve deferred the job to Ulaz. As a doctor and beta he would’ve known exactly what to do to make Keith comfortable. If that was even remotely possible, which Keith did not think so as he writhed on his bed._

_All the clans forbid suppressants, found them to be too “unnatural” and “inhibiting” of the “wonderful cycles of life” or however it went in the texts. Hell, they were even dodgy about birth control but ultimately declared it a responsible and fair option. After all, they weren’t the savages that books often made them out to be._

_“Heathens in name only!” Thace often said with a wink. Keith rolled his eyes but still smiled._

_The haze descended upon him rather rapidly after he woke that morning, though the fever had already well settled in. Brains weren’t meant to function properly at such temperatures so time lost all meaning, stretching out and contracting bizarrely. His body ached, muscles burned, and skin pricked with oversensitivity. His nerves felt like they had been lit aflame and even the delicate brush of fabric against his skin made him groan in discomfort._

_Despite the inability to think clearly, his mind still scrambled for coherent thought, grasping for threads of comfort or rationality. Friends, family, school, and the recent festival weakly drifted in and out of focus until it fixated on a scene of the ocean, vast and powerful, churning in time with his racing heartbeat. He looked to his left to take in the seascape, and there standing ankle deep in glistening water was Lance. He peered over his shoulder and smiled warmly at Keith, blue eyes shining. The cramping and scorching heat suddenly shifted, gathering in his chest and promptly pooling low in his gut._

_“Keith? Are you in here…oh my gods,_ what’s that smell _?”_

_The voice had drifted into the peripheral of his consciousness, doing nothing more than registering as present. Lance found him, nearly a day into his heat, alone and dazed, on the verge of dehydration. He had tried calling and texting Keith, growing increasingly worried when he was met with no snappy retorts as the sun began to set. Thankfully, he seemed to know what to do, immediately fetching Keith some water and a cool rag._

_“So it finally happened,” said Lance, forcing Keith to drink water after sitting him up. “Better late than never.”_

_“Sh-shut up,” said Keith, perturbed by how difficult it was to do something as simple as drink a bottle of water._

_He knew Lance had started his heats about a year ago. He couldn’t shut up about it after it happened, even managed to text Keith towards the end. Allura, being a good, protective alpha clan leader, dutifully locked him away during those cycles, but eventually resorted to buying him a house to make her life easier. A bit excessive but Lance was spoiled. He wondered if Thace would do the same for him._

_Lance placed the cool rag on Keith’s forehead then ran it down the side of his face. After urging Keith to take hold of it, he started abruptly yanking his sweat soaked clothes off, which only consisted of boxers and a t shirt. Keith whined weakly in protest, but the cool air hitting his skin felt amazing._

_“Calm down, you don’t have anything I haven’t seen before,” said Lance with a smirk. “There’s not a lot of point to wearing clothes during this, especially in the beginning. See? You’re sweating and leaking all over the place.” He ran his finger up the inside of Keith’s thigh and presented a slick soaked finger._

_“Gross…” croaked Keith, flopping back against the pillows. He did not mention how the careless touch had left a cool trail of relief in its wake. Absently, he tugged a sheet over his crotch and only then realized he was sporting a painful erection. He felt slightly too awful to be embarrassed._

_“It’s not gross,” chided Lance. “It’s actually really awesome and holy shit you smell amazing. So sweet and heady…like vanilla, cream, and something else…” He leaned forward and took a deep breath, exhaling dramatically. “Daaaamn. So, anyways, what are you going to do about it?”_

_“What…um…what am I...” Keith trailed off and shifted uncomfortably._

_“Do you have any heat aids?”_

_When Keith did nothing but stare at him blankly, Lance frowned. “Okay…it won’t kill you to go through this without relieving it but why suffer if you don’t have to?” He tapped his chin thoughtfully. “I have some extra stuff at my house, brand new, never used. I’m going to go get them. It shouldn’t take too long-“_

_“No!” Keith heard himself cry out before he even knew he was speaking. In a delayed manner, he also realized he had flailed out to grasp Lance’s arm, punishingly hard. “Please…don’t go...”_

_Whether Lance stayed out of pity or sympathy, Keith did not know or care in that moment. The mere suggestion of being alone hit him like a physical blow to the chest, making it hard to suck in a decent breath. Lance did manage to convince Keith to let him go downstairs and gather provisions._ _Amongst them were towels, extra linens, light snacks, an extra fan, and alcohol. Lance did love a good mixed drink._

_“Thace really has the best liquor bar,” said Lance sipping some sweet smelling concoction. He sat down carefully beside Keith and flipped on the TV. “Where is he by the way?”_

_"Visiting the Hermit," said Keith scowling at the TV as channels flipped by._

_After about fifteen minutes of a ridiculous 80’s movie that Lance somehow deemed viewable, the aching seemed to get even worse, and Keith rolled onto his stomach rutting mindlessly against his covers. A low groan escaped him since it did little to help. Distantly, he registered the clinking of ice cubes in the glass as Lance moved around._

_“Hey…do you want me to help you out?” he asked gently._

_Keith turned his head towards Lance and squinted. “Help me out? Like…fuck me help me out?”_

_Lance flushed a deep shade of pink all the way to his ears and almost choked on his drink. “What?! No...I mean…maybe? I don’t know! I mean…we did make out at the festival this year and don’t tell me it was just because you were drunk and ‘swept up in the moment’. Plus I know from personal experience that it’s a lot better if you take care of it. You look miserable, dude.”_

_“I feel miserable, thanks,” said Keith, letting his eyes slip shut. He rolled his hips once more and felt the odd prickling sensation blossom over his skin again._

_Though his brain seemed to be operating through a fog, Keith still had enough of his wits about him to know what Lance was suggesting. The ache had persisted so long and only seemed to be getting worse with time. With his eyes closed he could now smell Lance over himself, something refreshing, maybe floral, maybe coconut, maybe salt water. At that exact moment he yearned for nothing more than to be touched and enveloped in that unique, soothing scent._

_“Do it,” breathed Keith, reaching out blindly. “Do whatever, I trust you…”_

_Lance gave his hand a reassuring squeeze before withdrawing to remove his clothes. Keith watched in a trance as Lance stripped, intrigued by the revealed expanses of skin and lithe well-formed limbs. The soft lighting in the room only helped to make the experience seem more surreal. He had never looked so beautiful and Keith wondered how much of that revelation was due to the heat. The thought didn’t stay with him long because Lance crawled onto his bad and sidled up next to him. The places where their skin met sent chills down his spine._

_“Stay on your stomach,” said Lance, gently coaxing Keith’s thighs open. “There you go…perfect.”_

_He inspected Keith briefly, muttering something under his breath before tentatively running a finger up his perineum and over his entrance. Keith’s hips jerked and he gasped loudly as that simple action alone felt overwhelming. Lance did not waste much time prodding at his rim before dipping an_ _experimental finger inside his hole. Keith gasped again, louder, tried to push back against the finger. With a small chuckle Lance added another finger and wiggled them around a bit._

_Keith let out an obscene moan that seemed to echo off the walls when Lance set to properly thrusting his fingers. The relief was instant and cooling, washing through his body in a rippling wave. The first orgasm came embarrassingly fast, and Keith felt his cock pulsing trapped between the sheets and his stomach. He clenched tightly around Lance’s fingers, and he did his best to keep them moving as Keith rode it out. Keith noted the relief was short-lived and that he was still achingly hard._

_“It’s…not working,” complained Keith. “Fffuuuck…it’s not enough-”_

_“Don’t you think I know that? Gods, you’re always so impatient…” Lance suddenly yanked his fingers free, ignoring the whine that followed. He situated himself between Keith’s spread thighs and massaged them idly. “Are you sure about this?”_

_Keith nodded, irritated to be questioned again after he had clearly made up his mind. A few agonizing minutes passed before he felt Lance shift into position and slide his shaft between his ass cheeks. Lance lined himself up, nudged lightly, and took a deep breath before pushing the head of his penis in. It went in so easily that his next gentle push found him sliding in all the way, and a startled gasp escaped his lips as he curled over Keith’s back._

_Lance’s cock twitched deep inside of him a few times and Keith knew it had slipped into his secondary entrance. He had only explored it a couple times, just to see if it was there, but could never feel it beyond an uncomfortable fingertip or two. Now it was apparently wide open and completely full of Lance, which was insanely intimate. He honestly couldn’t be bothered to dwell on it, though, since the presence of something in that secret canal was flooding his body with gratifying hormones._

_“Move…come on, mooove,” said Keith pushing back against Lance and moaning as it caused a jolt of pleasure._

_“I will, dammit!” said Lance holding Keith’s hips stationary. “Just give me a few more seconds. I’m trying not to come.”_

_“Do I really feel that good?” asked Keith peering over his shoulder and doing his best to deliver a cheeky grin. When he received no response, he buried his face in his pillow and groaned. “Please, just move, I don’t care if you come fa-aaaaah-“_

_Lance withdrew and thrust back in once, swore under his breath, and did it again. He set a medium pace, like he was unsure of how hard he could really go. It was more than enough, and Keith rocked back against him with every thrust. Sighs, moans, and cries filled the room each time Lance plunged smoothly back into him, sensations escalating too quickly. Keith came again abruptly, gasping and clawing at the sheets, waves of pleasure radiating out as he contracted around Lance. Weakly, he was aware the sensation also shot through his dick but was too stunned by the internal orgasm._

_Somehow, Lance held out through it, and was babbling curses behind him. Keith started to come down from his high just in time to feel Lance stutter to a stop and empty into him with a low groan. It was satisfying on a bone-deep level and Keith hummed in appreciation, reveling in how Lance’s weight pinned him down as he slumped against his back. After a minute or so, he slipped out of Keith and rolled onto his side still panting._

_“How was that?” asked Lance, smoothing sweat soaked bangs from Keith’s forehead. “Feels better, right?”_

_Keith nodded, still fairly blissed-out by the whole experience. It hadn’t even lasted that long, but he would definitely put that sex in the mind-blowing category. He felt slightly cooler and the aching had subsided considerably. His mind still seemed fuzzy, though, reminding him of a constant low-grade alcohol buzz._

_“Get some rest. You’re going to get riled back up again in about thirty minutes.” Lance pat Keith’s cheek before sitting up and draining the rest of his drink._

_He disappeared to clean up and returned with a damp washcloth for Keith. When Keith proved useless at the task, Lance plucked the rag from his hand and carefully wiped off as much fluids as he could. After he finished he propped Keith up against the pillows and made him drink more water._

_“Hey, Lance…” said Keith, lowering his water bottle and staring at it. He could already feel the fire starting to stoke back to life in his gut and loins, spreading its annoying ache throughout his muscles._

_“What’s up?”_

_Keith glanced at him and marveled at how natural he looked, relaxing buck naked on his bed. “Thank you,” he said, hoping the fever hid his blush. “I know this is a lot to ask of someone….”_

_“It’s all good, my man, I assure you I’m not suffering because of it,” said Lance laying down and snuggling into the sheets and pillows. “Wanna hear something crazy?”_

_Keith set his water on the nightstand and settled down next to Lance, facing him. “Can’t be crazier than this.”_

_“Well…that’s the thing.” Lance hesitated and stared at Keith, searching his eyes for something beyond him. “I’ve…uh…I’ve had dreams of us having…sex.”_

_“Really?” said Keith, raising his eyebrows. “For how long?”_

_“Not that long. Maybe a month or so.” Lance wiggled closer to Keith, then stroked his arm. “I think it was a premonition.”_

_Keith smiled, feeling both comforted and teased by the casual touch. “Was real me as good as dream me?” he asked._

_“I don’t know,” said Lance rising up on his elbow and gently shoving Keith onto his back. “Let’s do it again and I’ll tell you after.”_

 

Keith smirked as he remembered Thace’s reaction when he had come home three days later to find him and Lance draped over each other, naked in bed. Thankfully, they weren’t in caught in the act, but the smell was evidence enough. He had looked more shocked than scandalized. The fuss caused over it had been minor. Mostly Thace felt awful that he hadn’t been there to help and Ulaz gave them both a stern lecture about birth control, even if it was unlikely they would have an issue both being omegas. Allura hadn’t seemed to mind much at all, sighing fondly and reminding them the prophecy still had to be taken into account.

A big part of him had expected his and Lance’s relationship to become awkward afterwards, but it continued on comfortably. In fact, that experience seemed to be a catalyst that deepened their friendship. Who else could understand their unique situation quite like the other, and why not rely on each other to satisfy their desires as well? It was indeed mutually beneficial.

Before his next cycle, Thace reluctantly scrambled to find Keith a place to live. He settled on an industrial loft apartment near the warehouse district that needed some work. It was unfinished, rough around the edges, and a perfect space for Keith to make his own. Soon enough it had a custom designed kitchen and bathroom, with stainless steel appliances, brushed metal countertops, and a darkly stained hardwood floor. Keith refused anymore construction and moved in, decorating it to his tastes. Lance helped him pick out furniture and brought plants to make it seem more “homey”.  

The class ended and Keith headed to his favorite Thai restaurant. He ordered spring rolls, fried tofu, green curry, pad thai, and cashew chicken. A bit excessive but he knew it would put Lance in a good mood if he had multiple options. While he waited, he fished his phone out of his bag and browsed social media. Facebook generally annoyed him, so he went to Instagram first and then checked out Pidge’s cryptid blog. Apparently someone had spotted Bigfoot, locally known as the skunk ape, in the swamp nearby last week.  Sadly, there were no pictures.

Soon enough, Keith found himself back at Lance’s home which they all commonly referred to as “The Blue House” because…well, it was blue. It sat in a subdivision of large plots of land with Atlantic Avenue as a buffer between it and the ocean. Cheery would be a good word to describe it, painted a warm light blue with white trim, possessing large porches and balconies, and lavishly landscaped with varieties of palms, oaks, and native plants. The interior was done in cool blues, grays, and lavender, full of nautical themed decorations, knickknacks, and cozy furniture. Lance had really made it a home and Keith loved spending time there.

He walked up to the front door with its frosted glass panes overlaid with delicate metal designs and let himself in, locking it after he passed through. Seeing the living room was vacant, Keith knew exactly where Lance was and grabbed a drink before heading upstairs to his room.

The room was dim in the waning afternoon light and the doors to the balcony were wide open. Keith dropped his bag and walked out onto the balcony, confirming that Lance was indeed lounging on his favorite chair wearing nothing but yoga pants and a sheer robe. He stared out at the sky thoughtfully, legs drawn up on the chair and head resting on a propped up hand.

“You really ought to lock your doors, dude,” said Keith noting Lance’s startled jolt. “See? Anyone could’ve waltzed right in and attacked you.”

Lance laughed and his face visibly lit up when he saw Keith start to place food on the coffee table in front of him. “Yeah, right. Who the hell would want to attack me here and heeey, you didn’t take off your boots. _Again_.”       

“Oh…sorry,” said Keith, pushing the table closer to Lance. Next he tugged off his boots and tossed them inside the room. When he turned back around, Lance was opening each container and humming in approval.

“You did good, babe,” said Lance separating a pair of chopsticks. He patted the armrest of the chair next to him. “Come on, let’s eat. Rain should be coming soon so we may get a nice show.”

The heat was oppressive being well into the month of June, but Keith didn’t mind, and the ocean breeze certainly made it more tolerable. Many of his fondest memories had happened on sweltering, humid days and nights. Summer in the south was often a stagnant season, marked by the persistent cry of cicadas, frequent though brief thunderstorms, and strange occurrences. Did you really see that shadow moving in the woods? Did the stars really shift slightly in the night sky? Did that person’s eyes really flash red? Who whispered those words in your ear as you were in a state of twilight, nearing sleep? Who knew? Keith merely took it in, knowing that the veil was always thin as far as he was concerned.     

They ate and watched as dense clouds rolled in, wind picking up in random gusts. It darkened the sky that would normally stay lit till evening as they neared the solstice. The lightning started up as they finished, and Keith looked over to Lance. Keeping his eyes fixed on the crawling patterns of flashing lights, Lance retrieved a small joint and lit it. He exhaled fragrant smoke and offered it to Keith, who declined. Keith watched as Lance brought it back to his lips, curled them around it delicately, and inhaled, ember glowing brightly. He exhaled slowly and glanced at Keith sideways, eyes sparkling impishly.

“Ready to have some fun, sweet cheeks?” asked Lance, stamping out the joint in an ashtray.

Keith rolled his eyes at the obnoxious pet name and took Lance’s offered hand. He tugged Keith to his feet and led him back into the bedroom. When they got to the bed, sheer curtains hanging loosely around the platform frame, Lance playfully shoved Keith onto the mattress and crawled on top of him, intent on picking up where he had left off earlier. They leisurely undressed each other to the sound of pattering rain and thunder. The curtains billowed softly and the fragrant scent of the rain curled around them as the storm picked up momentum.

At Lance’s request, Keith fucked him slowly, taking care with the angle of his thrusts and switching positions several times. Lance did love variety, and Keith had no problem giving it to him. The first round did not satisfy him, and Keith thanked his short refractory period as he soon delivered round two, bringing Lance to another gasping orgasm. By the time he came back from a quick cleanup in the bathroom, Lance was already sleeping peacefully under the covers.

The thunderstorm had passed and Keith walked onto the balcony, staring out at the night sky as clusters of stars started to emerge. He retrieved the food containers and thoughtfully placed the leftovers in the fridge, all while strutting around the house completely nude which was a favorite pastime of his. The property was completely private, but he probably would’ve done it regardless.

After shutting the balcony doors, he crawled into bed next to Lance and stared at the ceiling for a few minutes. The festival would be happening soon, and there was still much preparation left. He had no doubt that everyone would drag him into it, as they did every year. He griped about it but honestly didn’t mind. At the very least, he had already found the perfect gift for Lance’s birthday. Since he was notoriously bad at gift-giving, it was a huge relief.

Eventually, when his mind stopped buzzing, Keith started to drift off to sleep. A bizarre sensation swept through his body, much like the feeling a premonition gave off, but vague at best. Even in his half-conscious state, his intuition nagged at him. Something big was going to happen soon and probably at the festival. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first Voltron fic and I’m super excited to finally be writing a pagan au with polyamory! I have been trying to write something like this for years and I suppose it just took the right fandom to see it come to life. I'm going to try to remember to link relevant info here too.
> 
> Major Arcana Meaning: [Here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_Arcana)
> 
> Come play with me on tumblr on my VLD side blog, [starchildkeith](http://starchildkeith.tumblr.com/)! Also if you have any questions about paganism, hit me up there! 
> 
> I have art on my blog for this story [here](http://starchildkeith.tumblr.com/tagged/paganverse). Everything relating to this au is under the link button called "paganverse". 
> 
> Thank you for reading and comments are always appreciated!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reminder that flashbacks and dream sequences are in italics. There are traumatic injuries in this chapter.
> 
> The gang's just about all here now!

 

  

_The deafening sound of twisting, crushing steel and breaking glass cut through the night air before his world went abruptly dark._

_He drifted in and out of consciousness, vision blurry and mind unwilling to focus. The darkness was broken up by a flash of red clothing, dark hair, an arm reaching across him. Voices spoke but he did not recognize or understand them. Crimson unfurled beneath his eyelids and the pain sitting on the peripheral flared white hot. All he could do was groan since his body was not obeying the screaming urge to thrash._

_When he was finally able to open his eyes, Takashi Shirogane looked around in a daze. His police cruiser was mangled and wrecked around him and he had no idea why. An attempt to move sent a new wave of excruciating pain surging through him, mostly in his arm, pelvis, and abdomen. His vision darkened slightly at the edges, and as it returned flashing lights appeared. A familiar face suddenly entered his limited field of vision._

_“Shiro, buddy, you still with us?” shouted Sven over a cacophony of sirens that somehow just registered._

_Shiro nodded weakly and closed his eyes. Getting a decent breath was difficult and he started to wonder if he would survive. Despite his best efforts and Sven yelling at him to stay awake, he passed out again. He woke up days later to the sight of his stern father sitting by his bedside in the ICU. He looked exhausted yet relived as he spoke the first words Shiro heard upon awakening._

_“You nearly went to be with your mother.”_

Shiro woke to a dim room, sunlight struggling to filter in around heavy curtains, and flexed his sore right arm. It had been a while since he had dreamt about the accident, and roughly three years since it had happened. The words his dad had said to him echoed in his mind, a phrase that often haunted him. As he went about his morning routine, he once again reflected on how much that day had changed his life.

The doctors explained that he had been kept sedated as they did several operations and hoped he pulled through. They had set the broken bones in his right arm, removed part of his spleen, repaired a punctured lung, and literally screwed parts of his hip bone back together. Also on the list of injuries were fractured ribs and multiple lacerations that left him with a fair amount of scars. That alone was bad enough, but he had also survived a severe coagulation condition brought on by the trauma. The doctors claimed he was a miracle case, and he wasn’t quite sure how to feel about that.

The time that followed was difficult and painful. He had to move around slowly and assisted as his hip mended and had lost most of the function of his arm, which forced him to relearn how to do common everyday tasks. Very quickly he had realized that he simply could not do them alone. Sven, in an act of incredible kindness, had temporarily moved in with him and offered not only help but companionship. A few other friends had come to visit from time to time, but he admittedly didn’t have many outside work.

Sven moved out shortly after Shiro became steady on his feet with the aid of physical therapy. Shiro didn’t usually mind being alone, but after having a cheery friend around for a while the sudden absence was depressing. He was soon able to return to work so the funk didn’t settle in too badly. Still, going home day after day to an empty house started to wear on him. He tried dating a few times but it always fizzled out before it got anywhere meaningful, and at some point he just gave up. Instead he decided to adopt a cat and Yumi quickly became a loving companion. 

Looking at the clock, Shiro realized he had some time left before his swing shift started. He grabbed his essentials, headed out the door of his quaint house, and got into his trusty, old GMC truck. The drive to his favorite local business was pleasant, but he noticed the sky was unusually overcast.

The Vanilla Bean Café was really more of a bakery than a coffee shop and run by one of the nicest families Shiro had ever met. His face lit up when he saw Hunk was indeed behind the counter and already smiling at him.

“Hey, Shiro, good to see you!” greeted Hunk, wiping his hands on his apron. “The usual?”

“Yes, please.” Shiro eyed the pastries. “Anything new today?”

“Not really,” said Hunk as he made an iced coffee and doctored it up to Shiro’s preferences. “I would suggest the guava pastelito, though. Or the cream cheese Danish.”  

“Give me both.”

Hunk put the coffee and two pastries on the counter and rang them up. “Do you have some time to chat? I’d love to catch up.”

Shiro handed Hunk some money, waving away the change for a tip. “Sure thing. I’ve got about an hour before my shift starts.”

Hunk went into the back to tell his dad he was stepping out briefly and grabbed his own iced coffee. They sat down at one of the tables in front of the café and Shiro wasted no time digging into his pastries.

“So, how you doing, man? Work being good to you?”

“I can’t complain,” said Shiro in-between bites. “Nobody’s tried to shoot me in a while, so there’s that.”

Hunk shook his head and chuckled. “Honestly, I don’t know why you do it. I guess someone has to, huh?”

“That’s right, and I do enjoy it.” Shiro looked up at Hunk and noticed his anxious expression. “What’s up? How have you been?”

“I’ve been kinda stressed out lately,” said Hunk fidgeting with his cup. “I’m the head chef for this event happening soon and I’m trying to get everything coordinated. It has to be summer themed, of course, so I want to do a berry cobbler, lavender shortbread, maybe a parfait, something chicken - parmesan crusted or shish kabob probably, tabbouleh, fresh caught salmon…and that’s not even getting into the drinks…”

“What’s the event?” asked Shiro when Hunk trailed off.

“Oh! Um, it’s a festival. The Summer Solstice festival or sometimes it’s called Litha or Midsummer. It’s…well, it’s a pagan thing,” explained Hunk.

“Interesting,” said Shiro. “Is this your first time catering one?”

 “Nope, I do it every year! Mostly for the sabbats like Samhain, Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, and ho boy is Beltane fun…uh…” Hunk once again let himself trail off at Shiro’s look of confusion.

“A sabbat? What’s that?”

“A pagan holiday,” said Hunk blushing slightly even though the topic wasn’t necessarily embarrassing. “They’ve been around for a long time, more or less.”

“And a pagan is a nature worshipper? Like Wicca or something?” Shiro’s eyebrows suddenly shot up. “Wait a minute…are you a pagan?!”

“Ahaha, yeah, I am,” said Hunk rubbing the back of his neck, then mussed his dark hair nervously. “My entire life, actually.”

Shiro sat back in his chair with a huff. “I’ve known you for a while and you never mentioned it. Why didn’t you tell me sooner? Seems like it’s a pretty big part of your life.”

“Sorry about that, it just never really came up,” said Hunk, sheepishly avoiding eye contact. “It’s not something I want a lot of people knowing. It’s like an unspoken rule that we shouldn’t talk too freely about it with people that are…well, not us.”

“Then why did you just tell me about it?” Shiro leaned forward over the table, subconsciously trying to keep their conversation more private.

“The stuff I told you can easily be found in books,” said Hunk, also leaning forward, eyes briefly sweeping their surroundings. “But there’s a lot more to what we do that can’t be found in books. It’s passed down through the generations by teachers.”

Shiro nodded his head gravely. It seemed legit, though it did make him feel like he was on the verge of springing into some fictitious, magical adventure.

“I don’t know…I have this feeling that you can be trusted with a look into our world.” Hunk’s eyes suddenly widened and practically sparkled. “Hey, do you want to come to the festival?”

“What, really?” Now Shiro really felt like he would soon have some kind of adventure. “Is that allowed?”

“It’s not common but certainly not unheard of,” said Hunk leaning back in his chair and grinning. “I’ll ask Lady Allura to be sure, but it should be fine. My instincts are pretty sharp and she knows it.”

“Hmmm…” Shiro chewed on his straw as he thought about whether to accept or decline the invitation.

“Just say yes, man. I know the recent years have been rough for you. Come to the festival and cut loose, have some fun! If you don’t like it you can leave, no worries.”

“Okay, okay, fine, I’ll go,” said Shiro with a small smile.

“Awesome, thank you!” exclaimed Hunk springing to his feet. “I’ve got to get back inside, but I’ll text you the date, time, and address soon. Take care and you know where to find me if you need anything!”

Shiro nodded and waved goodbye as Hunk scooped up his cup and skipped back into the café. Hunk always did know exactly how to cheer him up. If nothing else, the festival would definitely be interesting.   

 

 

* * *

 

 

_The sky was bathed in deep hues of purple and navy, stars sprayed across it like flecks of bright paint on a canvas. Keith looked around, vaguely recognizing his surroundings. It seemed to be Lady Allura’s estate, possessing the same expansive yard with dense forest at its edge and waterway nearby, but he could not see the house. He peered down at his clothes and noticed he was dressed in his ritual gear, right down to the cloak._

_A fire suddenly roared to life in the slight distance and he threw his arms up to shield his face, cloak billowing out behind him in the dry wind. Squinting at the dancing flames, the kindling looked more like a twisted heap of metal than wood. The form of a person started to coalesce within the blaze, and he could only watch in awe as it stepped from the fire with unnatural ease._

_The person was backlit by the fire, casting the front of them in darkness. Keith could soon see it was a tall, muscular man, naked and covered in some sort of fluid. He took a cautious step backwards as the man approached, stepping into Keith’s personal space casually before stopping. It was only at that proximity he could tell the man was covered in blood. Keith’s eyes traced the path of a droplet_ _traveling down the man’s arm and noticed he was injured in several places, flesh cruelly torn, muscles beneath visible. Why did he look so familiar?_

_You saved me,” said the man, reaching out a dripping arm._

_Keith tried not to flinch when the man placed his hand gently on his face. He felt an electric jolt when it made firm contact, skin searing beneath the hot, damp touch. Blinking rapidly, he sought out the man’s eyes. They could rarely hold secrets from him._

_The eyes that stared back into his were confident and kind, reflecting poorly concealed sadness laced with frustration. There was something else there too, something just beneath the surface that he couldn’t quite read…_

_“I will come to you when the moon is waxing and red, resplendent before flames,” said the man softly._

_“W-what?” stuttered Keith, instinctively putting his hand over the one on his face. He could’ve sworn he’d heard that phrase before._

_“I will bear scars as proof of my strength.” The man took another step towards Keith so that they were practically touching. He leaned down slightly. “I will come to you soon, both of you…and our fates will merge._

_“Who are you?” Keith studied the man’s face intently, trying to memorize every detail, imagining what it would look like beneath the viscous blood._

_“Someone important,” said the man leaning in even closer._

_Keith could feel the man’s breath on his skin and warmth blossomed suddenly in his chest. Their lips brushed together gently and Keith sighed at the pleasant shiver that ran down his spine._

_“Can you feel it?” whispered the man. “Our souls recognize each other.”_

_Keith licked his lips, tasted copper. “But…Lance-“_

_“He’s here too. Look.”_

_Before Keith could even swivel his head, a hand curled its long fingers over his shoulder. He glanced to his right and saw Lance sidling up beside him with a crooked smile._

_“Isn’t he gorgeous?” said Lance, nuzzling his face against Keith’s._

_“Wait…you know who this is?” Keith made a sound of protest as the man withdrew and started to walk away._

_“Of course I do,” said Lance, holding Keith back as he attempted to follow the man. “It’s okay, babe, let him go. We’ll see him again soon.”_

_“But…wai-“_

_“Shhh, you need to wake up, Keith.”_

Keith’s eyes snapped open, words dying on his lips as consciousness momentarily dazed him. Late morning sun flooded his loft through the tall multi-paned windows, past curtains he had only managed to draw half way before passing out. A glance at his alarm clock displayed that it was nearly noon and he contemplated rolling over and going back to sleep. He had stayed up late catching up on homework and didn’t have class so to hell with getting up.

Memories of the dream surfaced when he closed his eyes and he reflected on them. Keith was no stranger to weird ass dreams, but this one screamed premonition to him. The mysterious man had looked so familiar yet he could not place who he was or where he’d seen him. Maybe if he fell asleep again he could return to the dream and figure it out. He’d done it enough times in the past that it was possible.

Right before he drifted off his ringtone startled him awake. Grumbling curses, he scooted to the side of his bed and groped around on the low nightstand for his phone. It was Lance. Of course it was Lance.

“What?” he snapped after answering.

“Hey, sunshine, what’s up?” said Lance in a singsong tone.

“Nothing’s up. What do you want?”

“Oooh, you just woke up, didn’t you?” asked Lance knowingly. “Damn, you’re always so grouchy when you wake up. If I was there I’d totally make you coffee…or give you a blowjob to lighten the horrible burden of consciousness-“

“Lance,” warned Keith.

“ _Anyways_ , Allura wants to see us at the Estate to go over some of the last minute plans for the festival. Get ready. I’ll be over to pick you up in a few.”

“Okay, fine. See you soon.”

Keith did not even wait for a response before hanging up. He knew the reason Lance offered to pick him up versus letting him drive himself was that there was less likelihood of him ditching. While he did love festivals, he did not care much for planning them. With a resigned sigh, Keith hauled himself out of bed and pulled on a pair of boxers. He padded across the open floor of his loft to the kitchen, popped a coffee pod into his Keurig, and got a cold slice of pizza from the fridge. Breakfast of champions.

By the time Lance arrived, he had just finished tying his high top Converse and was ready to go. Lance did his obligatory sweep of the apartment, checking on his plants and praising Keith for taking such good care of them. He whispered encouraging phrases to them then rushed Keith out the door. They climbed into Lance’s Porsche Macan Turbo and took off at a questionably irresponsible speed.

Soon the car was winding its way down the long driveway of Lady Allura Altea’s mansion, the Estate. Lance had spent much of his youth in the Estate under the kind care and tutelage of the Alteas and their trusted advisor and protector, Coran Hieronymus Wimbleton Smythe. Allura’s father, Lord Alfor, had passed away when Lance was quite young, but he still remembered him fondly. Allura spoke of how he could then be at peace with her mother.

Keith and Lance walked through the French doors into the foyer, immediately hearing lively chatter, the most notable being Hunk’s infectious laughter. Lance’s face lit up and Keith’s heart warmed at the familiar feeling of being home. The short hallway opened up to the breakfast nook and kitchen, separated by a wall. As they rounded the corner, everyone gathered around the breakfast bar took notice.

“Oh, good, you’re both here!” said Allura as she set an elaborate cheese platter onto the bar.

Lance sat down on a bar stool next to Pidge and started assembling cheese, prosciutto, and salami on a cracker. “Did we miss anything fun?”

“Nope.” Pidge picked an olive from the tray and popped it in her mouth. “Still waiting for Hunk’s customary panic attack about his lack of food service staff.”

“That’s not funny,” said Hunk looking up from slicing fruit. “It’s a serious issue that needs to be addressed. Feeding people during festivals is very important since they’re camped out here for days.”

“He’s right,” agreed Coran, suddenly appearing between Hunk and Allura. “Whilst it’s only one full day and two halves, it’s still a lot of food to manage when you’re all out there celebrating.”

“And getting drunk on your amazing varieties of mead,” said Lance around a mouthful of cracker.

“Don’t you try to divert me from the issue at hand with flattery!” declared Coran leaning over the counter and waggling a finger at Lance for emphasis. “You are entirely correct to praise my astounding and lovingly fermented creations, but food duty needs to be doled out properly this time!”

“Do I have to do it for this one?” Lance put on his best puppy dog expression. “It’s my birthday celebration! I should be exempt.”

“You say that every year,” said Keith helping himself to a soda from the fridge.

“Oh, how dreadfully rude of me!” Coran rushed to the fridge to retrieve pitchers of iced tea and lemonade. He set them on the bar next to glasses and bottled water. “If anyone would like something different let me know. Ah yes, and for the record, Lady Allura, all of my mead and accompanying alcohol is ready to go, down to the ceremonial libations.”

“Thank you, Coran,” said Allura. She picked up a notepad and checked off an item. “Next I’d like to address the things already taken care of. The cleaners and landscapers are coming the day before to ready the Estate, most of the guests have RSVP-ed, but of course the ones that have not will still be allowed in up to a certain point. Paul and Leo will once again be working the gate, so you will be admitted in and out easily if necessary. Tents and decorations will be done by a company this year, though I will be working closely with them to ensure quality and accuracy to my vision.”

“What about the ritual altar?” asked Pidge.

“Of course that will be set up by me and Coran.” Allura looked up from her notepad. “But if any of you would like to help, that would be appreciated.”

“I’ll help,” spoke Thace as he rounded the corner, fashionably late.

“Hello, Thace! I’m so glad you made it,” said Allura as Thace walked around the counter to give her a hug.

“Pardon my tardiness, I got caught up in a meeting,” apologized Thace, moving to stand beside Keith. He placed a hand on Keith’s shoulder briefly as a greeting and was offered a genuine smile in return.

“Okay, back to business,” said Allura drawing everyone’s attention back to her. “The drum tribe is scheduled. The firewood is ordered and will be delivered three days prior just to be safe. The ritual has been written and rehearsed, though I will need to go over it at least once more with the participants. And last on my list are the vendors and workshops, both of which are set as far as I last heard.”

“I’m doing a common cryptids workshop this year,” said Pidge proudly.

“Oh, cool!” said Hunk setting the fruit tray on the bar. “I figured you’d be helping at the booth for your parent’s shop again.”

“I pinned that shit on Matt this year,” said Pidge with a mischievous smirk.

“Sweet!” Hunk reached across the counter and bumped fists with Pidge. “It’ll be nice to see Matt at a festival again too.”     

“He was planning to show up anyways for the ritual,” said Pidge. “Said he had a great gift for Lance to make up for missing the last couple years.”

“Oh, nice!” burst out Lance, pausing in his pursuit of more salami for his cracker sandwich. “I missed the little guy.”

“You know he hates it when you call him that,” warned Pidge. “Plus he’s almost as tall as you now. Us Holts happen to be late bloomers.”

“Late bloomer or not, there’s no way he’s as tall as me,” argued Lance. “He maaaaay be about Keith’s height but-“

“Oh yeah!” exclaimed Hunk suddenly, startling several people. “Lady Allura, I have a question!”

“What is it, Hunk?”

“I have a friend I want to invite to the festival.” Hunk hesitated and stopped preparing the sandwiches. “He’s not a pagan, but I’ve known him for a long time and think he’s trustworthy.”

Keith and Pidge scoffed as Allura contemplated the request.

“Tell me a little more about him,” said Allura setting the notepad down.

“His name is Shiro and he’s a cop. Super nice, been through a lot of bad stuff and…well, I have a gut feeling this festival may be good for him.”

“Okay,” said Allura after a notable pause. “I trust your instincts, Hunk. Is everyone else okay with this?”

Everyone nodded and muttered variations of okay and Allura nodded back, pleased. Hunk beamed a bright smile as he thanked Allura and finished assembling the variety of lunch sandwiches with Coran.

The group moved out onto the patio to eat, scattering themselves out amongst the wrought iron table and couch sets. Keith situated himself on one of the metal chairs by the stone railing and gazed out at the water as he ate. The low din of conversations faded into the background and the dream came rushing back to the surface of his mind as he stared at the familiar expanse of the yard. He struggled to recall the man’s face.

“Keith, babe…you’ve got ‘that look’ on your face,” said Lance quietly from the chair beside him.

Hunk and Pidge were sitting on the opposite side of the table having an animated conversation about something tech related, and honestly Keith couldn’t understand half of the words coming out of their mouths. He looked at Lance, letting his eyes linger on him, finally properly taking in his trendy attire and bright eyes.

“You’re hiding something from me.” Lance stared at him intently, as if he could pluck the secret right out of Keith’s head if he glared hard enough.

“No, I’m not,” said Keith with a sigh. “It was just a dream, and before you go off, it was not one of ‘those’ dreams. It was strange but I’ve definitely had weirder ones.”

“Tell me about it,” demanded Lance before taking a bite of his sandwich. He continued to stare expactantly at Keith as he chewed.

“It took place here, in the backyard,” started Keith. “There was a fire…and a man stepped out of it. He was hurt but not burned, covered in blood. He walked up to me and said stuff that barely made sense, and then you were there telling me to wake up, so I did.”

“Okay, yeah, that’s pretty weird.” Lance finally looked away to the water. “I have no idea what that could mean outside of you meeting that mystery man soon. Was he hot?”

Keith groaned and rubbed his face. “I really couldn’t tell through the blood and that is beside the point.”

“Not in my book,” said Lance with a smirk. “Do you think Hunk’s friend Shiro is hot?”

“I don’t know, and I don’t really care.” Keith took a large bite of his sandwich as an indication he was done talking for the moment.

“Well, you’re no fun,” mumbled Lance. “Do you remember any of the stuff the man said to you?”

Keith shook his head and finished chewing his bite. Thace had always tried to dissuade him from talking with his mouth full. “Something about appearing during a moon phase, fire, and having scars.”

Lance scrunched up his face in thought. “That sounds familiar, but I can’t place it.”

“Maybe if I don’t think about it more will come back to me,” said Keith.

“What are you guys talking about?” asked Pidge pushing some light auburn hair out of her face.

“Oh, not much, just what I’m thinking about wearing for the ritual this year,” said Lance with a lazy smile. He had probably meant to get to that conversation anyways, so it wasn’t a complete lie.

“What about that white outfit…the one with the weird pants, crop top, and fringe?” asked Pidge as her eyes lit up. “It’s very bohemian and gives off a nice summer vibe.”

“Good suggestion, but I was thinking about something more elegant this year-“

Keith tuned out the rest of the conversation, and it looked like Hunk was doing the same. He didn’t mind talking about fashion but he really didn’t keep up with the trends and terms and often found himself lost. Lance and Thace were pretty much the only reason his wardrobe was trendy or hip at all since he also generally hated shopping.

“What are you wearing, Keith?”

He looked back to Pidge like a deer caught in headlights. “Um…same thing I wore last year?”

That incited a chorus of protests and drew Allura, Coran, and Thace over to their table. It simply wouldn’t do for an honored guest to show up in the same dreary outfit he had worn the previous year, apparently. And that was how Keith found himself stuck at the Estate for several more hours being fussed over as a “special” ritual outfit was planned for him.

Eventually, when Allura, Coran, and Lance were done scheming with what Keith thought were devious expressions, Lance drove him home. Thace had left earlier with a promise to catch up with Keith later. He needed to visit the Hermit at least once before the festival for reasons he was not at liberty to share. Most of the time Keith found the pagan’s excessive secrecy pretty annoying, but he understood its purpose.

“Come over after class sometime tomorrow,” said Lance after leaning over to give Keith a quick kiss. “I’ll cook dinner.”

Keith still found it endearing that Lance always knew his schedules so well. “Sounds good. See you then.”

As Keith walked towards the entrance of the large, industrial building he made sure to keep a keen eye on his surroundings. The area wasn’t a bad one per se, but it did see its fair share of degenerates due to being so close to the warehouse district. He would never understand why people preferred to do drug deals and shady business in such places. Maybe they had seen it in a movie or show and thought it was a good idea.

The sight of a shadow suddenly dashing behind a large steel beam of the building caught his eye, but upon closer inspection, nothing was there. One of Thace’s lectures immediately came to mind. There were shadow creatures that often took the shape of people to disguise themselves and could be potentially sent as spies. He also swore he’d seen one the other day but didn’t think much of it. Really, it wasn’t uncommon for him to see all manner of strange stuff in passing or his peripheral vision. For some reason, the one he’d just seen struck him as different. Though he couldn’t imagine who would want to spy on him, he made a mental note to ask Thace or Lance about it soon.

Apparently, Keith’s life was intent on getting stranger and he honestly wondered how much further down the rabbit hole he could possibly go. It was a question he would hopefully not come to regret.   

 

    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! Once again we can thank NaNoWriMo for an update...
> 
> Come play with me on tumblr on my VLD side blog, [starchildkeith](http://starchildkeith.tumblr.com/)!
> 
> Thanks for reading and comments are always appreciated!
> 
> [Here's](https://www.thoughtco.com/guide-to-celebrating-litha-2562231) some basic info for Litha, if you're interested


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A festival and a fateful encounter! Our boys finally meet~

 

By the time Shiro pulled up to the gates, the festival was already in its second day. The first day consisted mostly of an evening ramp up party according to Hunk, but he still wished he could’ve gotten the time off. That night was the main ritual, and he hoped he hadn’t missed it. The men at the gates checked for his name and waved him through after handing him a wrist band. He parked his truck in one of the few available spots, grabbed his overnight bag and bouquet he had picked up, and made the trek to the house.

People were coming and going, most smiling at him as he passed. Many were dressed in skimpy and or flowing bohemian style garments, some sporting nothing but vibrant sarongs. It certainly suited the muggy weather, though there was a pleasant breeze. He suddenly worried that he had overdressed.

It felt strange to just walk into a stranger’s house, but Hunk had instructed him to do so and other people were doing it as well. He received some inquisitive looks as he walked through the foyer and into a living room. He almost started to panic until he glanced to his right and saw Hunk in the kitchen.

“Shiro, you made it!” exclaimed Hunk rushing over and giving him a hug. He gestured towards the kitchen. “Look! I have a staff this year! I’m so happy!”

“That’s great,” said Shiro adjusting the strap over his shoulder. He could hear the steady beat of drums drifting in from outside.

A gong sounded and Hunk’s face lit up. “Oh! The ritual is starting, let’s go watch!”

Shiro didn’t even get a chance to respond as Hunk took hold of his arm and started pulling him towards a doorway. They went into a game room with a pool table where Hunk instructed him to drop his bag in a modest pile of others. They continued on and emerged outside, pushing past gathering people. A stone pillared gazebo surrounded them, draped with fairy lights and diaphanous, pastel colored fabrics swaying softly in the breeze.

The whole spectacle was overwhelming to Shiro. In the slight distance curtains obscured some occult secret and people murmured, closing in around him. The heady scent of incense wafted through the air, ostentatious floral arrangements framed the circle, drums with designs carved into their wooden bases were scattered about or slung over shoulders and necks by cloths. He heard crackling wood and noticed a bonfire nearby. Despite the utterly foreign environment he felt pretty relaxed, sensing a general undercurrent of acceptance.

“Oh, is this the friend you were telling us about, Hunk?” asked a redheaded man sidling up beside Shiro.

“Yeah! This is Shiro,” said Hunk patting him on the back. “Shiro, this is Coran. He’s the one that convinced Lady Allura to hire me a kitchen staff this year and should be praised.”

“You deserve it, my boy!” said Coran twiddling his moustache. He suddenly jabbed a hand out towards Shiro. “Nice to meet you, lad.”

“Nice to meet you too, sir-“

“Good heavens, it seems you don’t have a drink!” Coran interrupted. He held out a silver chalice and waggled it a bit. “Would you like to try some of my famous mead? This one is hibiscus flavored and quite good if I may say so. Come on, don’t be shy now, you’re amongst friends.”

“O-okay, thanks,” stuttered Shiro taking the chalice that Coran looked ready to drop if not accepted.

Coran stared at him expectantly until he took a tentative sip, then smiled and patted his arm. “There you go. Drink and be merry! That’s what this night is all about!”

Shiro nodded, pleasantly surprised at how smooth the alcohol tasted, the hibiscus giving it a subtle sweetness. He opened his mouth to compliment Coran but he had already vanished.

“Thank you all for attending our festival!” rang a clear and authoritative voice, drawing all eyes towards the front. “I am Lady Allura of the Silver Moon Clan. The Estate welcomes you to the annual combined celebration of the Summer Solstice and birthday of our beloved Chosen One.”

At the center of the gazebo stood quite possibly the most beautiful and ethereal woman Shiro had ever seen. She was tall and regal, long pale hair cascading down her back, flowing dress hanging artfully over her slender body, sheer fabric fanning out around her. There was a circlet resting on her head, long jeweled earrings brushing her collarbones, layered necklaces, bangles, and rings adorning her like a goddess.

“On this, the longest day of the year, we celebrate abundance and fulfillment,” continued Allura. “The world is awash with fertility and joy, the Goddess and God united. It is now time to witness and partake in the ritual we have prepared. We will express our thanks for all the blessings bestowed upon us thus far, by the grace and will of the gods. To begin, we will call the quarters.”

“We call out to the Guardians of the East,” said a young man with light auburn hair. He walked to a nearby candle and stuck a bundle of pale green herbs into its flame, blowing it out shortly after so it smoldered with a fragrant smoke.

“That’s my friend, Matt, and he’s holding white sage,” whispered Hunk. “We use it to purify and cleanse. Sometimes, cedar and grass are mixed in with those bundles.”

Shiro nodded and sipped his mead again, keeping his eyes fixed on the fascinating ritual unfolding before him.

“Spirits and elementals of air, you are invited into this circle,” said Matt waving the stick around carefully as he walked in a circle, clockwise, “to guard and protect those within, and bless this ritual. Hail and welcome!”

“Hail and Welcome!” echoed many people around Shiro, including Hunk.

“We call out to the Guardians of the South,” said another man, holding a lantern with a lit candle inside.

“That’s Thace, the Lord -or leader I guess- of the Dark Athame Clan,” explained Hunk.

“Spirits and elementals of fire, you are invited into this circle.” Thace also walked in a circle holding the lantern high before him. “Guard and protect those within, and bless this ritual. Hail and welcome!”

Once again everyone repeated the chant and Shiro thought maybe he should join in too.

“We call out to the Guardians of the West,” said Coran holding a large, ornate chalice up for all to see. He walked in the same circle as the others, letting a small amount of liquid spill from the chalice as he went. “Spirits and elementals of water, you are invited into this circle. Please, guard and protect those within, and bless this ritual. Hail and welcome!”

That time Shiro did join in as everyone said the chant and he felt a bit exhilarated to contribute.

“We call out to the Guardians of the North,” said Allura, sweeping her arms out, the delicate fabric attached to her wrists fluttering out like wings. “Spirits and elements of earth, Gracious Mother and Father, you are invited into this circle. Please, guard and protect those within, and bless this ritual. Hail and welcome!”

After the repeat of the chant, Allura lowered her arms and smiled warmly at everyone. Shiro continued to drink his mead, already starting to feel tipsy. He didn’t drink often and wondered how strong the alcohol was. No matter if he cut loose now, though. He was there to have a good time and had the next day off as well.

“Before the Wheel turns yet again,” said Allura, gesturing to a hanging wooden wheel with words carved into it that Shiro couldn’t make out, “we have gathered at this sacred space to honor the mighty sun gods and goddesses. We offer you our sincerest gratitude and reverence, Amaterasu, Apollo, Aten, Ra, Sol, Huitzilopochtli, and all the deities of our greatest star. Without you, we would be naught but a dead rock floating in the cosmos.”

“Soon there will be whispers of a promise to the return of the dark,” said Coran, dramatically casting out an arm. “As the Oak King surrenders his reign to his twin, the Holly King, we witness the turning of the Wheel. But for now, we celebrate this pinnacle of light and fertility! We drink, dance, and be merry, we make our offerings, and we bless!”

Everyone cheered, startling Shiro. Hunk noticed and laughed, clapping him on the back a couple times.

“Now we will perform the ceremonial dance,” said Allura after gesturing for silence. “We will enact the happy union of the horned god and goddess at the height of summer. I will be portraying the goddess and our beloved Chosen One will be portraying the god.”

Shiro watched with rapt attention, and Coran magically appeared at his side to refill his empty chalice. After doing so he clinked his own against Shiro’s and winked before taking a gulp. “This is my favorite part! Such an elegant display, it always brings me to tears.”

Music started to play and a soft spotlight illuminated the mysterious curtain. It lifted slowly to reveal a cloaked figure, cast in sharp shadows. Upon the person’s head was a mask shaped like a bull skull, horns and all. Or at least Shiro hoped it was a mask. They took deliberate steps out into the circle. Pausing at the center, they suddenly flapped open the cloak and tossed it aside.

Hidden beneath was an outfit that bordered on indecent and Shiro felt his face heating up from more than just the alcohol. It was definitely a man considering he could see vast expanses of flesh through the numerous slits in the voluminous fabric draped over his body. He moved his body with such grace and ease, whipping the cloth out around him effortlessly, never once tripping or fumbling despite its length.

Allura leapt into the circle, moving with similar finesse, twirling and whipping the long fabric of her garments like it was second nature. They danced around each other, touching only briefly, coming together and separating with practiced ease, perfectly in tune with the music. It was mesmerizing and Shiro watched transfixed.

It went on for several minutes, ending with a flourish of twirls and a pose. Allura was beaming a smile as they struggled to catch their breath, and the man’s face remained hidden by the skull. Applause erupted and Shiro joined in as best he could while holding his chalice. He had never imagined the ritual would be so entertaining.

“Thank you! Now we will break the circle for offerings and blessings to the sacred altar!” announced Allura. “Gifts for the Chosen One’s birthday will also be accepted at this time. Blessed be!”

Everyone chanted blessed be and cheered some more. The dispelling of the quarters was quick and done in each direction with a “thank you, hail, and farewell”. The crowd started to bustle about and Shiro stepped back, nearly running into someone.

Hunk caught his arm to steady him and chuckled. He thumped the bouquet against Shiro’s chest with a smirk. “Got your gift. Come on, I’ll introduce you to my friends.”

Shiro took the flowers and followed Hunk, seeing a long line of people forming next to the altar, various items in their arms. It had been behind the curtain but he had failed to notice it since the dancer had distracted him.

They passed through the hanging fabric like a barrier, stepping off the gazebo and onto the grass. In the slight distance was a fire pit with a wide cement ledge around it, which a group of people were gathered around drumming. Two figures stood out backlit by the fire, details of their appearances hidden by shadows. As they grew closer, Shiro recognized the outfit one of them wore.

“It that-“

“Yeah, that’s the dancer my good friend, Lance!” said Hunk proudly. “And the guy next to him is Keith.”

Shiro watched as Lance continued to dance to the beat of the drums, attempting not to spill the liquid in his chalice. Keith was trying to sabotage him by stepping into his personal space and then outright trying to trip him. Lance swatted playfully, telling him to knock it off. Hunk called out to them and they paused, turning their faces towards him.

And then everything stopped for a moment.

Though both unique, they were two of the most beautiful people Shiro had ever seen. It stunned him so much that he faltered stepping up onto the ledge, and he was too dazed to be embarrassed. Introductions passed without him really hearing what was said because they were so close he could do nothing but drink in the sight of them.

“Oooh, a cop! How exciting!” said Lance snapping him out of his trance. “Are you going to arrest me, officer?”

“Did you bring Lance a gift?” asked Keith crossing his arms. His outfit was at least less revealing, though he wore a midriff top. “I didn’t see you making an offering.”

“Oh, yes! I got flowers…um, here.” Shiro awkwardly thrust the bouquet forward averting his gaze. His face felt like it was on fire.

Several things suddenly clicked into place in Keith’s mind. First he noticed the scars on Shiro’s arm, obscured by the Japanese tattoo sleeve he had of wind, water, and flowers. Next he noticed the nearly full moon above, appearing red through the screen of smoke rising from the bonfire. The words from his dream suddenly came rushing back. 

_“I will come to you when the moon is waxing and red, resplendent before flames.”_

“I will bear scars as proof of my strength,” mumbled Keith out loud, and Lance tossed him a confused glance.

“Thank you, those are lovely!” said Lance reaching out to grab the bouquet. He gasped abruptly, fumbling the flowers and chalice, almost dropping them. He set the chalice down with shaking hands. “Pl-please excuse us for a moment.”

Lance grabbed Keith by the arm and dragged him stumbling onto the grass. He didn’t stop until they were hopefully out of earshot. The drumming was picking up tempo so that helped. He stood, wide eyed and staring back at to the fire pit, clutching the flowers to his chest.

“The _prophecy_.” 

They both said it at the same time and finally looked at each other. Keith knew his expression was probably harsh and Lance looked on the verge of tears.

“It is written that on the night of a solstice, when the moon is waxing near full, an alpha will appear bathed in moonlight before the chosen omega bearing gifts of wind, water, and flowers,” rattled off Lance, likely having heard the line more times than he could count. “It’s the Silver Moon prophecy, Keith. It’s happening, it’s happening… _what are we going to do?!_ ”

“I don’t know!” snapped Keith, instantly regretting it when Lance flinched. He grabbed him by the shoulders and rubbed his thumbs over the exposed skin. “Listen, our prophecy says that on a night when the moon is waxing and red the alpha will appear before the chosen omega before flames. He or she will bear the scars of battle as proof of their strength. The Dark Athame prophecy is happening too. You’re not alone.”

“What? Really?” Lance frowned. “How will that work?”

“I have no idea, but if it’s true we’re going to go into spontaneous heats soon.” Keith tossed a wary glance over his shoulder towards Shiro and Hunk, who seemed to be keeping him occupied. He returned his gaze to Lance, staring intently into his eyes. “We could ditch.”

“But it’s my birthday party,” complained Lance. “Plus, Allura would definitely notice and we would get in trouble.”

“You’re not going to have much of a party at all if your heat starts,” said Keith finally releasing him.

“Keith,” sighed Lance shaking his head, “we can’t run from this. Even if we tried, it would catch up with us sooner than later.” He peeked around Keith towards the fire. “I mean…we could do worse, right?”

Keith let out his own sigh of resignation and turned around. “Fine. Let’s face the music then.” He started walking back towards the fire pit, and Lance jogged to catch up. He laced his fingers into Keith’s and he was grateful for the support.

Small talk ensued between the group and both omegas struggled to act natural. Shiro was just as pleasant as Hunk had talked him up to be, though he seemed nervous as well. Shortly after Hunk started to teach Shiro how to drum, Lance was called to the altar to help bless the weapons and ritual tools with Allura.

Shiro seemed excited to witness yet another strange pagan custom. He had explained to Keith and Lance that he knew little to nothing about their spirituality but was eager to learn. Keith had then cracked a bad joke about how if they told him they’d have to kill him, which earned him an elbow to the ribs via Lance.

The altar was overflowing with offerings, including herbs, stones, flowers, food, alcohol, and jars containing things you were better off not knowing about. Lance’s gifts were stashed away behind it, and an elaborate array of weapons, wands, and tools were laid out before it. Lance and Allura took a place on either side of the altar, stepping carefully around the spread, and launched into a short speech that spoke of recharging, energy, and blessings. Sage smoke, fire, water, and earth were all waved over them and they were declared properly blessed.

“So…are you guys like…an item?” asked Shiro casually as the three of them lingered. Hunk had gone back to the kitchen to make sure the late-night snacks were in order.

Lance choked on his mead, coughing into his hand for a moment. He fanned himself and apologized. He was starting to feel too hot, which was setting his nerves on edge. A glance to Keith showed him sweating as well, which was not necessarily common. He usually tolerated the heat like a champ having grown up in the desert.

“I’m sorry, that was rude of me.” Shiro blushed and took another sip of his mead to hide his face. He scratched at his jaw and smiled. “I was just wondering because you seem close, but it’s really none of my business. Um…do you smell that? Smells like vanilla and coconut…”

Keith and Lance tossed each other glances, trying to keep the panic out of their expressions. Those were their scents when they started up, though they could possibly be coming from any of the abundant offerings. Still without even saying so to each other, they could sense the beginning of their heats, bubbling up unnaturally fast.

“What do we do?” whispered Lance, still fanning himself as nonchalantly as possible. “We can’t stay out here or every alpha at the festival will be on us.”

“Is something wrong?” Shiro stared at them with kind concern, moving instinctively closer.

“No, we’re fine,” said Keith, taking Lance’s arm and walking him away from the crowd. It was hard to think with so many people bustling around them since his mind was already feeling a bit fuzzy.

Shiro predictably trailed after them and Keith was too worried to care. Besides ditching or hiding in Lance’s room, he had no idea what to do and the situation was getting direr by the second. He stopped when they reached a dark corner of the lawn by the house and tugged at his collar. Just when he was starting to think all hope was lost, a savior spoke up.

“You guys stink,” said a familiar voice from the darkness, causing Lance to let out a yelp.

“Pidge!” said Lance clutching his chest. “What are you doing out here?”

“Avoiding my social obligations,” said Pidge with a snort. She closed her laptop and smirked up at them from the ground. “I know exactly what’s going on here. Been watching it carefully from a distance. Plus, the smell is getting harder to ignore.”

Shiro looked confused but remained silent. Lance started to sputter out a denial but Keith clamped a hand over his mouth.

“Got any ideas?” he asked.

“Use the guest house.” Pidge fished around in her pocket and produced a key. “Allura was going to let me and Matt stay in it, but I think this qualifies as more important. We’ll take your rooms.”

“Thanks, I owe you,” said Keith snatching the key and tugging Lance across the lawn.

“I’ll let you know when the next hunt is!” called Pidge with a laugh.

As they weaved around the numerous tents set up in the yard, Shiro dutifully followed them. Keith was simply too focused on getting them to their destination to bother shooing him away. Besides, Shiro was nice and outrageously attractive. They could kick him out later.

When Keith finally jammed the key into the lock, his hands were trembling. The ache had already settled into his gut and would soon travel further down. They all stumbled into the quaint house like criminals, and when Keith turned the deadbolt he felt so relieved his knees nearly gave out.

Lance set to drawing every last curtain closed and Keith checked the side door in the kitchen to make sure it was locked as well. There was a mini altar set up on the hearth and numerous candles arranged on the coffee table. Lance lit them all with the provided lighter, including the two on the altar, thankful for Allura’s consideration and dedication to the sabbat. Keith emerged from the kitchen with water bottles, handing one to Lance and Shiro.

“Can someone please tell me what’s going on?” asked Shiro wandering over to the couch and sitting down. “Not that I mind spending time with you guys, but…”

“Shit, right, sorry.” Keith sat on a fluffy rug between the altar and the coffee table, then unclasped his cloak. “Gods, I don’t even know where to start.”

“I got this,” said Lance sitting beside Keith. “We’re the ‘Chosen Omega’ of both our respective clans, right? Well, they each have these -quite frankly archaic- prophecies about how we’re both supposed to meet these fated alphas that help us fulfill our destinies, and also throw us into spontaneous heats upon our first meeting as proof. And, um…you showed up meeting most of those requirements and now-“

“We’re in spontaneous heats,” interrupted Keith, continuing to pull off layers of clothing. “It’s really annoying to be honest.”

The blush on Shiro’s cheeks was obvious even in the dim candle light. “I’m…the fated alpha? Wow, okay, uh…what am I supposed to do?”

“Perform the Great Rite,” said Lance with a nod. He also started to remove excess fabric, which took some help from Keith since he couldn’t reach the clasps in the back.

“The what now?”

“The Great Rite is ritualistic sex, but basically you’re supposed to mate with us,” explained Keith. He was stripped down to nothing but his pants, sweat glistening on his bare chest.

“Right, mating…wait, what?!” Shiro was now very red and covered his face with a hand. “I can’t do that…I just met you…”

Keith rose to his feet and stomped over to the couch feeling feverish. “Then get out.”

Shiro stared up at him with a hurt expression, but one good inhale had his pupils dilating. He stood up like he was intending to leave, but instead stepped closer to Keith taking another deep breath. One of his broad hands snaked tentatively around the small of Keith’s back and he couldn’t help but shiver at the contact.

Lance sighed from behind them. “Well, I don’t think it’s going to be easy to kick him out now. He’s probably going into a rut.”

“No way,” said Keith keeping his eyes fixed on Shiro as he continued to smell him. “Cops have to take suppressants. It’s the law.” He suddenly grasped Shiro’s face in both hands, forcing him to make eye contact. “You take suppressants, right?”

Shiro swallowed thickly and nodded. Keith continued to hold his face and stared at him expectantly. The touch was distracting and somehow felt intimate. “They, um, they don’t seem to be working very well…right now.”

“Shit,” swore Keith releasing Shiro. “More proof that those stupid prophecies are real.”

Lance stood up and unclipped the last piece of draped cloth, letting it slide off his body and pool on the floor. He stepped out of it wearing only a pair of tiny, skin tight shorts. Shiro looked like he was going to overheat at any moment. He walked up behind Keith and unbuttoned his pants, causing Shiro to drop his hand and back up slightly.

“You don’t have to do this,” said Lance, giving Shiro his most sincere expression. He pressed himself up against Keith’s backside and started to run his hands over his chest. Maybe he was playing a little dirty but was too turned on to care. “But, seriously, if you’re going to leave you had better do it soon while you can still think straight.”

“Yeah, what he said,” agreed Keith as Lance opened the zipper and started pushing his pants down. “I’m gonna fuck this guy whether you’re watching or not.”

“I-is staying an option you’re both okay with?” asked Shiro after tearing his eyes from Keith’s descending pants.

“What do you say, Keith?” Lance kissed his way from his neck to his jawline. “Do you mind if Officer Shirogane stays?” He rubbed his hand against the bulge forming in Keith’s underwear, delighting in the moan it drew forth.

“I don’t care,” gasped Keith, impatiently tugging his pants down, taking his boxer briefs with them as they went. They only made it to his thighs before he palmed his erection. “Can someone just please fuck me? Or let me fuck them?”

“Would you be a doll and move this coffee table for me?” said Lance nodding his head towards the piece of furniture that was clearly in the way. The last thing he needed was to fumble over a bunch of lit candles.

Shiro said nothing in response but immediately shoved the table towards the wall, jostling the candles precariously as it slid. It opened up the room considerably. There was an area rug covering the wooden floor, but Lance honestly didn’t want to hear Allura if they stained it.

“Here, watch him for a minute,” said Lance shoving Keith towards Shiro. He left the room to search for something to cover the rug.

Though startled, Shiro opened his arms instinctively and caught Keith. He paused as he embraced Keith, inhaled the sweet heady scent coming from him yet again, and sighed. One of his hands came up to cradle Keith’s head, petting it absently.

As ridiculously aroused as he was, Keith still managed to enjoy the tender treatment. It felt so natural despite barely knowing Shiro. Definitely out of the ordinary for him but welcome. His hands had gone to Shiro’s pectorals to brace himself and he couldn’t help but grope them, pleased with the muscle he discovered. He slid them down a bit, feeling the toned abdomen. It turned the smoldering in his gut to liquid fire that promptly pooled into his pelvis.

Lance breezed back into the room with a mattress cover and blanket. He spread them out over the area rug and wasted no time retrieving Keith. Shiro watched as Lance lowered him onto the blanket before pulling his pants and underwear off completely. The room was thick with their combined scents and it was making Shiro’s head spin. Well, that and the hot guy that was now naked spread out on the floor, with another hot guy in between his legs.

“Comfortable, babe?” asked Lance smoothing a hand over Keith’s inner thigh. “Do you need a pillow?”

Keith growled and tried to shove Lance’s head down. “I’m fine, get on with it.”

Lance chuckled and glanced up at Shiro who was still standing stock still beside them. “Have a seat, buddy,” he said patting an expanse of blanket beside them. “I appreciate the restraint but you’re here to enjoy yourself, right?”

“Right.”

Shiro sat down stiffly and Lance wondered if it was because he was hard. He reached out and playfully tugged at the collar of Shiro’s shirt.

“You’re wearing too much clothes for a pagan festival,” he said with a smirk, hoping the hint came across. Lance could tell Shiro had an amazing body under his clothes and he wanted to see every inch of it.

Shiro nodded and started picking the buttons of his shirt open. Lance smiled and returned to Keith who was squirming on the floor. His heat was coming on faster, as they usually did. He looked like he was trying his damndest to play it cool, but was fighting a losing battle. Lance rewarded his patience by kissing his way down a thigh to Keith’s cock, which was straining against his stomach. He flattened his tongue against the underside and licked up, side-eyeing Shiro as he moved.

He paused in tugging off his shirt to gawk at the spectacle, mouth hanging open slightly. Lance smirked and returned to the task at hand, taking Keith’s cock into his mouth and sinking down as far as he could. Keith let out a sigh of relief that morphed into a moan. As he continued to suck, Lance pushed Keith’s legs open with one hand and found his entrance with the other. He massaged the rim briefly to announce his presence then sunk two fingers in at once.

Keith’s back bowed and he choked on a gasp, unsure of whether to push his hips up or down. Lance place a hand on Keith’s hip to keep his from thrusting up too far and gagging him. He was good, but he wasn’t that good. It didn’t take Keith long to tighten around his fingers, leaking a gush of slick as he started to come. Lance pulled off his cock just in time for it to paint Keith’s stomach as he let out a reedy whine.

“How’s that for priming the pump, love?” asked Lance crawling over Keith and giving him a peck on his gasping lips.  

In lieu of a verbal answer, Keith grabbed Lance’s face and brought him back down for a deeper kiss. His hands slid over Lance’s sweaty skin and tugged his body flush against him. He groaned into Lance’s mouth at the contact grinding against him to create as much soothing friction as possible.

When Shiro made a small noise beside them it immediately registered as thunderous and they withdrew from each other to stare at him. He was sitting in the same spot, cheeks flushed red, tenting his pants, and apparently unwilling to make a move at all. 

“Go ahead,” said Keith having gained back some of his wits. “Open up those pants.”

Lance sat back with a sly smile. “They do look pretty uncomfortable.”

Shiro swallowed audibly and did as he was told. His eyes were still amazingly clear given the situation, but his scent was starting to increase, indicating a rut was already in the works. His hands trembled as he popped the button open and slowly pulled the zipper down. The boxers beneath bulged outward struggling to keep his erection contained.

“Take it out.” Keith sat up and started pulling off Lance’s soiled shorts.

Once he discarded the troublesome garment, Keith guided Lance to kneel in front of him and spread his ass cheeks for Shiro to see, probing gently at his hole. Shiro watched with rapt interest as he eased his cock out of his boxers. At the impressed whistle Keith let out, Lance peered over his shoulder curiously.

“Oooh, a big boy,” sang Lance, shuddering when Keith chose that moment to slip in a finger. He felt slick running down his thighs as Keith pushed the digit in further, probably searching for his secondary entrance. He could feel it was already open, hot and yearning to be filled.

“Have you ever been with one that big before, babe?” asked Keith, kissing Lance’s taut abdomen as he started to thrust inside him. Even if his heats tended to come on more gradually, Keith could tell he was ready to go.

Lance tried to think around the distracting sensation of being fingered. “Maybe.” He glanced at Shiro again and hummed. “Probably.”

“I have an idea,” declared Keith yanking his finger free. Lance let out a yelp as he was spun around and maneuvered onto all fours. “Come on, get over here, right in front of him,” he said to Shiro pointing in front of Lance.

After hesitating a moment Shiro scooted over, unsure of where to put his legs. Lance suddenly knew exactly what Keith had in mind, so he gently nudged Shiro’s legs open and moved in close enough to smell the heady, suspiciously sage-like scent coming off him. Even though he had never smelled anything quite like it before, it seemed so familiar.

“I’m gonna dive right in, okay?” said Keith rubbing Lance’s back. “You’re plenty wet enough. If he doesn’t mind, maybe you could suck that poor, neglected dick too.”

Shiro’s hand went to stroke his cock at the suggestion of getting it sucked. Lance watched his hand slide over it and licked his lips, looking up with questioning eyes.

“Um, if you don’t mind…I don’t mind,” said Shiro flushing an even deeper shade of pink.

Lance was going to comment about how adorable Shiro was, but Keith distracted him by nudging at his entrance briefly before sinking into him with one fluid motion. It slipped in smoothly, flooding him with instant relief and eliciting a moan. He sank down, resting his forehead on the blanket, enjoying the lightheaded buzz the initial penetration offered.

Keith started to thrust at an even pace and Lance felt hesitant fingers move through his hair. He lifted his head attempting to nuzzle into the touch. The first thing he saw was that gloriously large cock bobbing nearby, but not close enough. He lifted himself onto his elbows and reached out, pumping it a few times, feeling the slide of hot skin in his palm. The stifled gasp and moan Shiro let out were encouraging.

“Move…closer,” said Lance jerking forward slightly with every thrust.     

Shiro obliged, moving so close his scent was everywhere around Lance, making his head swim. There were piney notes in it and maybe spice too. Never one to back down from a challenge, Lance gripped the base of Shiro’s cock and started to suckle at the broad head. He didn’t want to overdo it but the energy in the room was palatable and intense, so he gave into it like any good pagan would. Soon he was sucking it into his mouth as far as it would go, valiantly suppressing his gag reflex when it hit the back of his throat.

“I wish I could see that better,” grunted Keith as he continued pounding into Lance. He raised his eyes, nailing Shiro with a burning glare. “Told you I was gonna fuck him. Happy you get to watch?”

Keith smirked when Shiro’s eyes widened and he nodded weakly. It looked like Lance was doing his best to suck Shiro’s soul out through his dick, and if personal experience was any indicator he wouldn’t last long. The sounds of skin slapping against skin and sucking filled the room, bouncing obscenely off the walls, mixing pleasantly with the continued drumming outside. Despite the inconveniences, it was turning out to be a great holiday after all.

Lance started to tighten around Keith rhythmically and he knew he was going to come soon. Even after a couple years of having heat sex, he was still impressed how long Lance lasted on the first round. He never managed to last more than a few thrusts at best, though what did it really matter with next to no refractory period. Lance hummed around Shiro’s cock a few times before pulling off it and resting his head against a muscled thigh.

“He’s… _ah_ -look, Keith, he’s starting to knot,” said Lance through laborious breaths while continuing to pump Shiro with his hand.  

“Here,” said Shiro wrapping his hand around Lance’s, squeezing and urging him to move faster.

Shiro’s breath stuttered and he let out a low groan that sunk warmly into Lance’s core. He loved how firm the knot felt as his fingers spread around it, knowing it would soon swell even larger. As Shiro continued to guide his strokes he couldn’t help but notice how his hand engulfed his own. Shiro’s thighs started to tremble, hips jerking and grip tightening.

“Lance,” he called out in warning, “I’m-“

Shiro’s voice cut off on a groan that bubbled up out of his chest, hand giving two more rapid pumps before stilling. Even though he’d been expecting it, the first thick strand of come startled Lance, shooting past his head and landing somewhere on his back. The next few painted the blanket and his face, some managing to land between his parted lips. And he thought he was the sharpshooter. While he knew alpha semen was supposed to taste great to omegas, this was the first time he actually believed it.

Keith pounded into Lance a couple more times before shuddering and spilling deep inside him. The combination of warmth gushing into him precisely where he craved it and Shiro caressing his face with a shaking hand tipped Lance over the edge. He didn’t even get a chance to reach for his dick as his insides clamped around Keith, knocking the wind from his lungs. He cried out nearly collapsing before Keith caught his hips as he fucked him through the orgasm.

Eventually, Keith eased out of Lance, letting him sink to the floor. Everyone was a panting mess and still hard, Shiro sporting a fully swelled knot. It was pleasantly sized, though, fitting the curves of his cock nicely instead of looking too bulbous. Keith checked on Lance who glanced up at him with a dopey smile before moving closer to Shiro.

“How you doing, big guy?” he asked, reaching out and tentatively exploring Shiro’s knot. He admittedly hadn’t seen many in person. “Damn, that looks like it would hurt.”

Shiro’s eyes slipped shut briefly at the touch and he shivered before letting out a weak chuckle. “It’s…not supposed to do that while I’m on suppressants.”

“Welcome to the ridiculous world of pagans,” said Keith with a snort. “But seriously, are you okay with this? Because we’re not even remotely done.”

“Uh yeah…me too.” Shiro rubbed the back of his neck. “It won’t go down until at least one more round, and will likely be up again soon after. And, uh, walking through a festival with a hard-on doesn’t sound like my idea of a good time.”

“So you have to fuck through it?” asked Keith pointblank, even though he already knew how most ruts worked.

Shiro blinked then flushed dark pink again. “I mean, not necessarily. It would eventually go down on its own and I could always take care of it in the showe-“

“Awwww, you don’t want to fuck us?” whined Lance lazily propping his head on his folded arms. He started wiping his face clean then licked at his fingers causing Shiro to look away.

“Maybe he just likes to watch?” suggested Keith.

“No…I mean, yes, I liked watching, but I do like to have sex, just…”

“Not with strangers,” finished Lance, nodding in understanding. “But, hey, I sucked you off so we’re not technically strangers now, right?”

“I could suck you off too if that helps. Probably won’t satisfy you much at this point, though.” Keith scooted marginally closer to Shiro and rested a hand on his clothed thigh. “Might want to take these off or they’ll definitely get dirty. Did you bring an overnight bag?”

Shiro’s head started to spin with everything being casually tossed at him on top of the intoxicating pheromones heavy with each breath. He didn’t know what to say or what to respond to first, so he settled for doing something impulsive and out of the ordinary. He gave into his urges, surged forward, and kissed Keith.

Though initially startled, Keith offered no resistance, bringing his hands up to Shiro’s chest and fondling it. Shiro settled a hand on the small of Keith’s back and gently pulled him forward. He took the suggestion and crawled onto Shiro’s lap, eagerly shoving his tongue into his mouth. He swirled his tongue with Keith’s moaning softly as their cocks bumped and slid against each other.     

Keith started to grind against him and Shiro felt his blood singing in his veins in response. Lance appeared behind Keith and he suddenly groaned, letting his head drop onto Shiro’s shoulder. Peering over Keith’s back, Shiro saw that Lance was stretching him open.

“He’s so wet and tight,” purred Lance giving Shiro a quick kiss on the mouth. “Here, feel.” He guided one of Shiro’s hands down between Keith’s spread cheeks, urging him to explore for himself.

Without much thought Shiro pushed his index finger into Keith, noting it slid in easily. Lance leaned forward to capture Shiro’s mouth in a proper kiss that time, smashing Keith between them. He pushed a finger in beside Shiro’s, wiggling it before thrusting. Keith’s panting started to evolve into soft moans.

“Please,” whined Keith against Shiro’s skin. “Shiro, _please_ …”

It was like a switch flipped on in Shiro’s brain at the request and he finally felt alright giving into it. Lance sensed it and moved away reclining back onto the floor, but Shiro lowered Keith onto him kissing him again before moving onto Keith. Lance adjusted Keith’s body over his more comfortably, watching as Shiro tugged off his jeans, revealing thick, muscular thighs cut through with a few scars. He moved back in between Lance and Keith’s spread legs, running one hand down his cock and the other over Keith’s abdomen.

“I’ll go slow,” said Shiro, voice gone husky.

Keith nodded as Shiro gripped one of his thighs and lifted it, spreading him open. He didn’t bother with stretching him, but he did scoop up some slick to rub on himself as a lubricant. Tearing his eyes away from the display, Keith looked up to Shiro’s face. He was so concentrated on what he was doing it would’ve been adorable if it wasn’t so sexy. When Keith felt the head of that large cock rubbing at his entrance, he took a deep breath and then exhaled.

“Oh,” uttered Shiro as the tip slipped in. That wasn’t generally the hard part but damn it felt good. His alpha brain started clouding his mind and he struggled to sink in the rest of the way gradually, despite the overwhelming urge to just force his way in. He’d never smelled such amazing omega scents as the ones flowing freely off the two tempters laid out before him.

Keith groaned letting his head fall back against Lance’s chest. Lance ran soothing hands over his body and whispered words of encouragement into his ear. Though his body was already releasing gratifying hormones at being filled by an alpha, Keith felt his rim burning from the stretch. When Shiro finally seemed to be all of the way in, Keith held up a hand for him to stop moving.

“Give me…a moment,” he practically wheezed.

Shiro stilled with a faintly apologetic look, panting through his arousal. Lance shifted and wisely snaked a hand down to Keith’s erection, stroking it slowly but firmly. Keith hummed and squirmed a bit, gasping as if he’d forgotten what was buried in his ass. Soon Keith reached out for Shiro’s hips, urging him to start moving.

With as much care as he could muster, Shiro pulled out and pushed back in once. Keith let out a gasp at the motion, but didn’t seem to be in pain. So Shiro did it again and again, finding a decent rhythm. It felt so ridiculously good he doubted he would hold out long. After a few minutes his body unintentionally picked up the pace, jarring Keith with every thrust. Lance was panting behind him as well, and Shiro figured it was because he was gaining friction from Keith’s movement.

“Ooooh shit, shiiiit,” moaned Keith placing his hand over Lance’s on his cock and pumping it faster. His thighs started to shake and he could already feel Shiro’s knot inflating inside him, stretching him to what should’ve been discomfort but somehow wasn’t.

Above Keith, Shiro started to make a series of little sounds that quickly morphed into stunted cries, and then evolved into loud moans. He thrust into Keith roughly before letting out the loudest cry yet and curling over him, hips stuttering. Keith felt the warmth rushing into him so deep inside, he doubted anything had ever touched it before. The knot locked Shiro into place, but his cock still pulsed with further release.

That sexy, vocal display coupled with Lance coming against his back with a moan blew fuses in Keith’s brain. His orgasm came on suddenly and he clenched so tightly around Shiro he heard him grunt, trying to thrust to no avail. All he could do was toss his head back and gasp, Lance faithfully stroking him through it as he shot what felt like his life force out of his dick. The internal part probably would’ve felt more intense if it hadn’t gone partially numb.

As Keith spiraled down from his high, Lance stroked his hair, soothing him as he twitched and panted. Lance looked up at Shiro, who was staring at where his and Keith’s bodies were still locked together. He seemed fascinated and maybe a little scared.

“Hey, you doing alright, sexy?” asked Lance.

Keith was still dazed as Lance continued to comfort him with reassuring caresses, and Shiro glanced up at him with an unreadable expression. The muffled drumming returned now that the room was quiet enough, a steady and relaxing backdrop to their sex addled haze.

“I’m fine,” said Shiro not quite convincingly enough. “It’s just…I haven’t knotted anyone in years. I-“

A shrill ringtone sliced through the peaceful moment, startling everyone. Lance let out a colorful curse and eased himself out from under Keith. He followed the sound to Keith’s pile of clothes and dug around in them, producing a phone. As soon as he answered a panicked female voice erupted from it causing Lance to hold it away from his face for a moment.

“Allura… _Allura_!” Lance yelled into the phone, paused again. “We’re both fine. Something came up and we had to hide out in the guest house. Pidge gave us the key…not sure why she didn’t tell you what was up, though…”

Shiro watched with concern as Lance listened for a minute. Something on the fringes of his memory was nagging at him. Something important.

“Yeah, we’ve seen Shiro, he’s with us.” Lance sighed. “Tell Hunk to calm down. We’re all safe and sound, and kind of indisposed at the moment. I have to go now, but I swear we’ll explain everything when we can.”

Lance held the phone away as a shout once again came through it.

“Yes, we’re in heat right now.” He let out an irritated huff. “Yes, both of us. I know, I know. That’s never happened before. Great…uh-huh, got it. Talk to you soon.”

“She sounded pissed,” said Keith stretching slightly on the floor, then wincing. His hips were still high over Shiro’s, putting an attractive but probably uncomfortable arch in his back.

“Nah, just worried.” Lance deposited the phone on the hearth and returned to blanketed floor. “So how long do you usually stay inflated?”

Shiro flushed despite their already intimate situation. “About ten minutes, but it varies.”

“Honestly, it seems like such an outdated biological function,” said Lance reaching out and probing gently at where they were connected. “Does it really serve a purpose anymore?”

Keith batted Lance’s hand away lazily. “You should totally knot this guy next. Maybe he’ll shut up for a change.”

Lance laughed and pinched one of Keith’s nipples in retaliation. “Did you know Keith here has never been knotted before? Well, at least not outside of the toys we’ve used.”

Shiro’s eyebrows attempted to shoot up into his hairline. “I’m your first?”

Keith managed to give Lance a withering look but it didn’t last long. “It just never came up. I’ve been with an alpha before but they didn’t…yeah.”

“What about you?” asked Shiro turning wide eyes to Lance.

“Oh, I’ve taken one before.” Lance smiled smugly before climbing to his feet. “Guy’s about as big as you too. Maybe I should call him up soon, haven’t seen him in a little while.” He walked off into the kitchen.

“I thought you two were together?” Shiro grabbed one of Keith’s legs and adjusted him slightly.

Keith’s eyes slipped shut for a moment and he let out a sigh. The feeling of gratification was overwhelming and he was having trouble concentrating. “We are…we have an open relationship thing going on.”

“Yep, that we do,” said Lance returning with a bag of chips and a couple nutrition bars. He slapped a bar onto Keith’s chest. “Eat this before you cycle back. Might be nice to take a shower too.”

After grunting an unintelligible response, Keith took the bar and opened it, nibbling on it slowly. A few minutes passed and Shiro gasped, lifting Keith’s leg as he finally started slipping out. It made an obscene squelching noise as it slid out, and he watched as a mixture of slick and come leaked out of the stretched hole. It satisfied him on a bone deep level to know he had filled up the gorgeous omega before him.

“Damn, you’re still ready to go,” praised Lance, crunching on chips. He gave an impressed whistle in between bites.

“I swear to the gods, if you accidentally call the fae here or something,” muttered Keith. The last thing they needed was more trouble.

Lance waved a dismissive hand. “You know, this place does have a bedroom, a couple of them, actually. Master one has a king size bed.”

Keith slowly stood up on shaky legs and Shiro did not fail to notice the fluids leaking down his thighs. He walked over to his water bottle, picked it up, and looked back over his shoulder. “You guys coming or what?”

After scrambling to his feet, Shiro tugged Lance up with more force than he intended. Lance didn’t seem to mind, laughing as he collected their water. He teased Shiro about being eager as he led him to the bedroom. When they arrived, Keith was already sprawled out comfortably on the large mattress vaguely attempting to wipe himself clean with a wash cloth.

Lance took a running leap onto the bed making Keith roll his eyes. He snatched the water bottles and chips away, placing them on the nightstand. Shiro couldn’t help but smile as he climbed onto the bed and slotted himself against Lance’s back. His cock was still hard and he rubbed it between Lance’s ass cheeks a few times eliciting a pleased hum.

With a sultry little wiggle, Lance lifted one of his legs and hitched it over Shiro’s thigh. “Go ahead, put it in. I’m ready.”

As Shiro spread a cheek and lined himself up, he leaned forward to smell Lance’s skin. His scent was lightly floral mixed with coconut, delicate and enticing. He pushed inside with one long stroke, surprised Lance took it without complaint. He felt every bit as good as Keith.

Shiro fucked him slow and deep trying to last longer. Keith moved to Lance’s front to lavish attention on him, while Shiro continued to plunge into him from behind. Lance was soaking Shiro in slick and making needy noises that turned into cries. The louder he got the happier Shiro felt. Eventually, he lifted the leg Lance had hooked over his thigh and started thrusting into him faster.

“Ah! Aaaah! Keith, Keeeith, I’m gonna co-“ Lance’s words cut off on a strangled cry as he spilled warmly over Keith’s pumping hand.

Letting out a groan that bordered on a growl, Shiro gave one last thrust lodging his cock in the tight canal. The knot inflated as he started to come, though that didn’t stop his body from instinctively trying to move through it. He had no idea what kind of noises he was making and honestly didn’t care. Even as relief flooded every sense Shiro had, he knew it wasn’t going to be enough. He hoped he at least stayed sated for a little while.

“So,” said Keith after kissing Lance’s forehead. He propped his head on his upturned hand and leveled Shiro with a curious yet intense stare. “You’ve had us both. What do you think?”

“What a loaded question,” laughed Shiro. His mind was starting to clear a bit even as it kept sending random jolts of pleasure. He shuddered and shook his head. “I’m not even sure how any of this is possible. I’ve been on suppressants a long time and even off of them I wasn’t quite this…virile.”

Keith’s expression fell into a soft scowl. “It’s definitely our prophecies in action. I thought we’d have more time…and why only one of you? I’d hate to think this is a competition.”

“Competition?” asked Shiro lying down and rubbing Lance’s arm. He made a small contented noise.

“Like you’re here to determine which one of us is worthy to be your chosen omega,” explained Keith lying down too. “I guess it’s the will of the gods but as usual they seem cruel.”

“Let’s worry about that later.” Shiro reached out and rubbed Keith’s arm too, marveling at how natural it felt. “Right now, try to rest before we all cycle back.”

Keith kept scowling but listened. At some point he wandered off to take a quick shower. Lance snacked more and kindly cleaned up the mess he’d left on Shiro. They talked a little about mundane details like where they lived, what kind of food they liked, and where they were from, though Keith was cagey about that information.

Soon enough, they cycled back in full force and had another round of passionate sex. It lasted for a few hours and everyone dozed off exhausted, not even bothering to get up and clean off because honestly what was the point? Sometime when the early morning light was creeping into the room, they roused for a third lazy round and once again fell asleep.

The others slept peacefully, but Keith’s dreams were haunted by a person he’d only glimpsed at a distance, someone he knew had been kept away from him on purpose. He recognized him nonetheless, staring at him with intent he couldn’t ignore, and jolted awake with a name on his lips.

“ _Lotor_.”              

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand I'm back after a while! Thankfully all the spring energy got me right back into the swing of things. The festival didn't go as planned but good times were had by all lol
> 
> Thank you for reading and comments are always appreciated!
> 
> Feel free to scream at me on my my multifandom main [ghostmoonchild](http://ghostmoonchild.tumblr.com/) or VLD side blog [starchildkeith](http://starchildkeith.tumblr.com/)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And then -to the surprise of nobody- there was more sex...
> 
> Also I feel it very important to mention that Druids are not evil! For the purpose of the story I'm going to paint their Clan in a questionable light, but it's all fiction. However, they are said to have never written anything down so I wonder how there are books about them outside of historical context.

 

 

Keith stared at the ceiling for a while trying to clear his mind of the dream. Morning sunlight crept into the room despite the blackout curtains. Or at least he thought it was morning still. It could quite possibly be past noon for all he knew. When he closed his eyes, Lotor’s intense stare quickly bubbled to the surface of his mind. It was like he was trying to convey some kind of message.

Thace’s voice echoed from his memory, clearly a warning.

_“We don’t associate with the Druid Clan, Keith. They’re unpredictable and power hungry.”_

Sleep was no longer an option, he was too baffled by the turn of events. Gods, he hated pagan politics. He slid out of bed as carefully as possible then paused to take in the sight of Shiro and Lance sleeping. Shiro looked younger, his face relaxed and his tattooed arm draped over Lance. His heart tried to swell but anxiety kept its cool fingers locked around it for more reasons than the dream.

He cleaned up a little and wandered out into the living room admiring the chaos they’d left behind. Their combined juices thankfully hadn’t seeped past the mattress cover, which he bundled up and set aside, but the coffee table was coated in melted wax. The candles had been on saucers but many had overflowed as they burnt down. His clothes were at least clean but he didn’t want to put anything on without showering first.

After retrieving his phone from the hearth, Keith walked into the kitchen and popped a coffee pod and cup into the Keurig. As he waited he checked his notifications. It was almost noon and he had several missed texts, mostly from Hunk and Allura. He dumped some sugar into his coffee and thoughtfully brewed two more cups. The others would probably wake up soon.

Keith walked to one of the living room windows, sipping his coffee as he went. His skin was already starting to prickle with the promise of another cycle, which was irritating. He wanted to believe the inconveniently sudden and spiritually invoked heat would be shorter than usual. Peeking through a slit in the curtain, Keith saw that the festival had already thinned out significantly. Most of the people would probably be gone in a few hours. Good.

A realization suddenly hit Keith and he rushed to dig through his pile of clothes on the floor. Thankfully, the slim packet was still nestled safely in his pants pocket and he pulled it out with a smile. He went back to the kitchen, found a tray and put the coffee on it along with sugar, creamer, and a spoon. When he got back to the room Lance was already stirring, though Shiro still seemed fast asleep. He set the tray on the nightstand and sat on the edge of the mattress.

“Mmmm, morning, babe,” said Lance stretching out like a lazy cat. “Oooh, coffee! How uncommonly thoughtful of you!”

“I’m gonna let that one slide cause I don’t want to ruin the mood.” Keith revealed the packet and opened it, sliding out a ring. It was a pale metal with a unique, swirled setting that held a blue gemstone. He slipped it onto Lance’s right ring finger. “Happy birthday, Lance.”

Lance stared at it in awe for a minute, tears gathering in his eyes. “Is this…”

“White gold with aquamarine in a tension setting,” said Keith. He’d done his research. “The stone reminded me of your eyes and its magical attributes-“

Lance suddenly tackle-hugged Keith nearly tipping them both over the side of the bed. He babbled thanks before withdrawing to pepper Keith’s face with kisses. Of course, the commotion woke Shiro. He stretched and yawned drawing their attention towards him.

“Morning,” he said sitting up and running a hand through his pale forelock. “Do I smell coffee?”

Keith set the tray on the bed and took his own cup off it. Shiro muttered his thanks and proceeded to dump sugar and cream liberally into his cup. Lance did the same but in modest quantities. Small talk hadn’t even passed their lips when a series of knocks sounded at one of the doors.

“I’ll get it.” Keith stood up and wrapped a towel around his waist for modesty’s sake.

The knock sounded again and he headed towards the side door in the kitchen, which was more private and faced the water. He opened it cautiously but nobody was there. It took a few seconds of gazing around the stone patio before he thought to look down. Two bags sat on the ground and a voice from the slight distance startled him.

“Have fun you crazy kids!” called out Pidge from around the corner of the house. She waved briefly. “Can’t wait to see how this pans out!”

Keith laughed and took the bags into the house, securing the door behind him. He decided it was safe to open the curtain over the sink, staring out past the palmettos and trees to the waterway. He tried not to think about the prophecy but it suddenly nagged at his mind ruining his mood. Slinging the bags over his shoulder, he returned to the bedroom and dropped them on the floor.

“Oh, that’s my bag,” said Shiro sipping his coffee once more and setting it on the nightstand. “So…um, what do we do now?”

“I’m going to cycle back soon,” said Keith gulping down the rest of his coffee. He disappeared into the bathroom and flipped on the light, softly illuminating the room.

Lance admired his ring as he leisurely sipped his coffee. “Me too. You up for more fun, stud?”

Shiro laughed and slipped out from under the sheets. He seemed a little embarrassed by his nudity but made no move to cover himself as he walked over to his bag. Fishing his phone and toothbrush out of his bag, he stuck the latter in his mouth before checking his notifications. After a minute he dropped the phone back into the bag.

“Can I freshen up first?” he asked nobody in particular.

“Go ahead,” answered Keith exiting the bathroom. “Do whatever you want. I can handle this guy just fine by myself.”

“Keith, don’t be rude,” chided Lance. “Can we open some curtains now? I feel like I’m in a cave.”

“Yeah, the crowd has really thinned out.” Keith moved towards the window that faced the water and drew open the curtains, flooding the room with midday sunlight. “If you wanted to have a less shameful walk of shame, now would be the time to leave, Shiro.”

Shiro poked his head out of the bathroom. “Are you kicking me out?” he said around his toothbrush.

“Do you even want to be here?” Keith took Lance’s coffee cup and set it aside. He slid under the sheets and started caressing Lance idly. “You didn’t seem super keen on the idea last night. I mean, a good fuck only goes so far.”

“Knock it off,” said Lance lightly smacking Keith’s shoulder. “Shiro, don’t listen to this guy. You are more than welcome to stay even if you don’t want to do anything.”

After staring at them for a moment and continuing to brush his teeth, Shiro disappeared back into the bathroom.

“Honestly, I’m surprised he didn’t ditch right after he woke up,” whispered Keith into Lance’s ear. He nipped it softly after that and started to kiss his way down his neck.

“You’re awful,” declared Lance past his smile. “What’s the harm in letting him see us through this? I like him.”

“Of course you do, he looks like Sven.”

“Does he?” Lance stretched out and sunk back against the pillows, chuckling when Keith shifted down with him. “I hadn’t noticed.”

Keith kissed Lance on the mouth then spoke against his lips. “Liar.”  

By the time Shiro rejoined them, they were already riled up. Their scents must have affected him from a distance because he was already half hard.

“Don’t think you’re going anywhere with that,” said Lance reaching out to pump Shiro fully hard. He hummed as Keith’s hands worked under the covers.    

Shiro sighed in resignation and scooted closer to the pair. There really was no denying they were enticing, but he hoped Keith didn’t actually mind him being there. He had considered jerking off in the bathroom and bolting but wasn’t sure that would satisfy him.

“Seriously, it’s fine.” Lance paused to moan when Keith apparently hit a good spot. “Keith’s a good guy he’s just got a lot on his mind. Trust me, if he really didn’t want you here he’d just toss you out the door.”

Keith said nothing to confirm or deny the claim but Shiro thought it seemed like something he would do. He fucked Lance first, then Keith, who got just as into it as he had the previous night. Sadly, Shiro thought about how none of this would likely last past their heats. To compensate, he put maximum effort into enjoying and pleasing them during what he decided would be his last round.

His body seemed adequately satisfied and though he could’ve easily gone for more it wasn’t necessary. After showering he was happy to see Keith and Lance had dozed off again. He quietly got dressed and slipped out the side door of the guest house, finally having his walk of shame that honestly felt more like a walk of triumph.

Taking into consideration that he probably had the distinct aroma of omega clinging to him, he walked around the house instead of through it to his vehicle. Besides, he really didn’t want to face Hunk just yet. He was starting to feel a little melancholy by the time he settled into his truck and the drive home only made it worse.

It was a lovely little house painted a sunny yellow with plenty of trees and overgrown vegetation that somehow still managed to look charming. But it was empty save for his cat, Yumi. Standing before the door with his bag in hand, Shiro imagined Lance and Keith were inside waiting for him. Maybe Lance would be waving around one of those sage sticks declaring he had to cleanse the energy. He squashed the swell of his heart at the thought. His relationships were always disasters and that one would be no different.

It wasn’t until an hour later as he sat watching a random nature show that something of grave importance suddenly occurred to him. He sat upright suddenly, startling Yumi. 

“Oh shit, I didn’t use condoms!”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lance moped around the guest house once they woke and discovered Shiro had left. Keith snorted and muttered a “told you so”. After taking a quick shower and refusing to be consoled, Lance dug his phone out of the bag and text Sven to come pick him up, officially over the festival and Estate. Keith protested their heats weren’t over but Lance only shrugged.

“I…just want an alpha right now, sorry.” He lazily tugged on clothes, oblivious to Keith’s hurt expression. “You can come with if you want.”

“No way,” snapped Keith. He stomped into the bathroom and angrily scrubbed his body clean. He understood exactly what Lance meant, his body was still aching for an alpha too, but it usually wasn’t an issue in the past. Shiro had definitely disrupted their rhythm.

When he stepped out of the bathroom, Lance was already gone. The reality of his situation sank in slowly and his temper flared up at the unfair treatment. Not only had Shiro left him in his time of need, but Lance too. Did anyone want to be around him? Was he that intolerable?

He barely looked at the clothes he put on, heatedly punching at his phone to scroll through his contacts. There was no way he was going to let this injustice go and he preferred to meet his issues head on, as soon as possible. Finding the person he was looking for he tapped them and waited as it rang.

“Ulaz, I need a favor.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lance felt incredibly guilty for leaving Keith but could not think properly around his collective disappointment and urges. More than anything, he had wanted Keith to be wrong about Shiro, but apparently he had better instincts. His persistent optimism did not always serve him well but he’d be damned if he’d ever gave it up.

The gates were left open on the last day of the festival, so Sven’s Charger got in easily, pulling up to the tree Lance was hiding behind. He was suddenly transported back in time to when he would hide exactly where he was, awaiting rides after sneaking out. Playing along with his memories he dashed into the car like a ninja.

“Awww, what’s wrong with my little kitten?” asked Sven leaning over the console to give Lance a quick peck on the cheek. He immediately caught the lingering scent and raised his eyebrows. “Oooh, is it that time again?”

Lance nodded sheepishly. “It’s a bit of long story, but right now I just want to go home.”

“No problem.” Sven put the car in reverse and eased it backwards then down the driveway. “Would you like some company at home?”

“Absolutely.”

Sven smiled warmly, gunning the engine once they were on the open road.      

 

 

* * *

 

 

Before Ulaz came to pick Keith up, he had pestered Hunk for Shiro’s address. Hunk had been reluctant to give it out, but after hearing a quick rundown of the previous night’s shenanigans he acquiesced. He tried to apologize on Shiro’s behalf saying that he’d had some rough years recently, and Keith listened but offered no real response besides a grunt. Hunk insisted that Keith give him a fair chance to explain himself and Keith only said he’d try.

“Do I even want to know?” asked Ulaz as Keith told him where to turn.

“Probably not, but I’m sure it’ll come out in the wash sooner or later.” Keith was getting better at being vague, though he knew Ulaz could probably read his mannerisms by then.

He tossed Keith a suspicious glance. “Well, I’m glad you at least didn’t try to drive in that state.”

“You taught me better than that.” Keith pointed to a yellow house. “There it is.”

Ulaz pulled over on the side of the street and watched as Keith lifted a bag onto his lap and tossed his phone inside. “Call me if you need anything else, okay? And be careful.”

“I will. Thanks for the ride.” He hesitated a moment before leaning over to hug Ulaz briefly. He and Thace felt like the parents Keith didn’t remember well and had always wanted back. It still felt awkward to express affection to them, but they encouraged it.    

Once Keith stalked up to the front door of the house he hesitated again, not out of concern so much as taking a moment to observe his surroundings. The property definitely looked in need of some landscaping but it was nice, generating a peaceful and private energy that he wondered if Shiro was conscious he generated. Probably not. He seemed about as aware of energy as a lampshade.

Keith raised his hand and knocked loudly three times. A few seconds passed before he heard shuffling inside and the door cracked open. He schooled his expression into his best scowl meeting Shiro’s gaze the second he revealed himself. The look Keith received was priceless and he wished he had his phone out to immortalize it.   

“Keith?! What are you doing here? I-“

Not in the mood to put on a show for the neighbors, Keith shoved past Shiro into the house. He dropped his bag on the floor by the couch but didn’t sit down. He felt another cycle coming on and didn’t want to accidentally stain anything. He wished he’d had a chance to pick up something to absorb it. A pretty black cat wandered up onto the arm rest to investigate him and he idly petted it.

“You should call your work,” said Keith, “and tell them you’re not going to make it in tomorrow.”

“Why would I need to do…oh.” Shiro suddenly caught on to what Keith was implying.

Another knock sounded at the door and Keith frowned. Was he expecting company? If so, he had no problem running whoever off. Shiro apologized, scooped his wallet off the table, and walked to the door. It ended up just being a pizza delivery person, and when Shiro returned with the boxes in hand Keith’s stomach growled loudly.

Shiro laughed as he set the boxes on the coffee table. “Help yourself. I’ll go get some drinks. I have Coke and sweet tea.”

“Water’s fine,” said Keith suddenly realizing he felt parched. “Um…is there something you could put down…” He gestured vaguely to the couch.    

After staring blankly at him for a moment, Shiro snapped to realization again. It very well could be the pheromones distracting him. Certainly his exceptional communication skills weren’t to blame. Keith snorted at his sarcastic self-criticism as Shiro wandered down a hall and sifted through a closet. He returned with a thick blanket and laid it on the sofa.

“Sorry, this is really all I have.” He turned away from Keith, covering his mouth and nose. “God, you smell so good. I…I’ll be right back.”

After arranging the blanket, Keith sat down and took off his shoes. They were the same sandals he’d worn to the festival and it felt strange to think it was still technically the last day. He tucked some hair behind his ear and flipped open both pizza boxes, pleased they had toppings he liked. Shiro returned with a glass of water and soda.

They ate in silence, watching a paranormal show Keith thought Pidge would love. If he was being dragged along on her next ghost hunt, he was definitely roping Shiro into it. He apparently had an interest in it so they could put it to good use.

“Why did you ditch?” asked Keith as he chewed his third piece.

“You didn’t want me there.” Shiro glanced at him but otherwise avoided eye contact.

Keith swallowed his bite and sighed. “Listen, I’m sorry I said that stuff. Lance was right. All this prophecy stuff has me kinda freaked out. I mean, we’ve definitely been reminded enough to expect it but the reality is…it’s rough.”

“I get that.” Shiro sipped his soda and picked up his phone. “Where is Lance, by the way?”

“He was really bummed out that you left. I couldn’t get through to him, so he had Sven take him home.” Keith left out the part where he said he wanted an alpha and how inadequate that made him feel.

Shiro snapped his head up. “Sven? Like Sven Holgersson?”

“I think so. There’s really not a lot of guys around here named Sven, I’m sure.”

“Do they…uh…”

“Yeah, on occasion,” said Keith trying not to laugh at Shiro’s shocked expression.

“Okay. Wow…um, excuse me for a moment. I need to make a call, unrelated to our conversation.” Shiro stood up and walked into the kitchen.

Keith could hear his muffled conversation but didn’t focus on the words. His body was starting to get hot and tingly. He ate the rest of the slice as fast as he could without cramming the entire thing into his mouth at once. The ache in his pelvis flared up and he knew he’d be leaking soon. Shiro came back into the room in time to witness him squirming uncomfortably as he debated eating another slice of pizza.

“You’re cycling back,” he declared sitting down and covering his face as if that would block out the scent.

“Yeah,” said Keith undoing his pants. He noticed all the curtains were already drawn so he didn’t need to worry about peeping Toms. He wiggled out of the offending fabric, relieved as cool air hit his skin. The shirt came off next.

“And you want me to fuck you…oh shit, that’s right!” Shiro dropped his hand and stared at Keith bewildered. “I never used a condom.”

“We’re clean.” Keith stood up and shucked off his boxers, tossing them casually onto the floor with his other clothes. He held up a hand when Shiro tried to protest. “And we’re on contraceptives. Pagans may love to be au naturel but they’re not stupid. We wouldn’t do that to you.”

“I kind of feel like I don’t have a choice in any of this,” said Shiro deflating against the cushions.

“You always have free will,” said Keith seriously. He doubted his raging boner was helping his argument. “I don’t want you to feel that way. If you want me to leave, I will.”

Shiro laughed and shook his head. “No, no, I didn’t mean it that way. I like you, both of you, a lot. It’s more about the implications of the prophecy. The sex isn’t that big of a deal, though I’m a little concerned with the failure of my suppressants. What about after this? Am I obligated to stick around you guys or I’ll get cursed or something?”

Now it was Keith’s turn to laugh. “No, we’re not like that. Sure, we use hexes, curses, and jinxes, but not for that reason. Besides, even the most skilled practitioners have trouble getting people to ignore their free will unless they’re willing to trade off pieces of themselves.”

Shiro sat up as Keith approached. “People do that? Do they like offer up a limb or something?” he asked as he guided Keith down onto his lap.

“Not really…well, maybe a finger if they’re desperate.” He sighed as Shiro sniffed up his chest and started sucking on his neck. “It’s more like pieces of their health, loved ones…or future. Stuff like that.”

“Sounds intense,” mumbled Shiro against his skin.

“It is.” That was all Keith managed as a reply. Shiro’s hands had already wandered down to squeeze his buttocks. When he rolled against Shiro’s clothed lap, the bulge beneath his jeans twitched at the stimulation.

Keith gasped when Shiro suddenly stood up, easily lifting him as he rose. He carried him down a short hallway and into a room, depositing him on a bed. Keith bounced on the mattress, delighted by the semi-rough treatment. He propped himself up on his elbows and watched as Shiro pulled off his shirt and popped open the button on his jeans. Catching Keith staring at him, he abandoned his disrobing and climbed onto the bed, looming over Keith.

They remained still for a moment, taking in the sight, sound, and smell of each other, a luxury they didn’t offer themselves much the previous night. Keith reached up and trailed a hand down the side of Shiro’s face and he nuzzled against it, letting his eyes slip shut briefly. They snapped open when Keith started rubbing his other hand against Shiro’s crotch.

Shiro shook his head at the smug expression Keith was giving him. He only startled slightly when Keith tugged his jeans and boxers down just enough to free his erection.

“So eager,” chided Shiro, pumping his cock lazily.

“Don’t make me beg.” Keith groaned as he realized what he just gave away. “Please…I hate begging.”

“Hmmm…maybe later.”

Keith gasped as Shiro prodded his entrance once then just pushed in without preamble. It felt even larger than Keith remembered, filling him to the point his rim once again burned. Thankfully, Shiro went slowly allowing him to adjust to his formidable size.

“You okay?”

Right after the last word left Shiro’s mouth, he hit a good spot and Keith cried out, quickly nodding when Shiro’s hips stuttered in worry.

“Keep going! Right there - _ah_!”

Shiro complied thrusting marginally faster. It suddenly felt so good, Keith was starting to understand why being with an alpha was praised so highly. Still, even in the heat of a building orgasm, he missed Lance. He’d certainly had sexual encounters with other people, but most of his experience had been with Lance. He blinked a few times and tried to focus on Shiro moving steadily in and out of him.

“Fuck…I think I’m going to knot again-“ Shiro’s voice cut off on a low groan. “I…I can pull out.”

In response, Keith wrapped his legs around Shiro’s waist and hooked his feet together. “Don’t you dare.”

Satisfied Shiro wasn’t going anywhere Keith stretched out against the mattress and enjoyed the building pressure.  His mind grew fuzzier with each thrust and he distantly registered the stretch of the knot and Shiro’s moans as he grew closer to coming.

Strangely, in the seconds preceding orgasm, Keith felt a vision tugging at the corners of his consciousness. It washed over him with the first wave of pleasure, knocking his vision dark. He gasped through it struggling to make out the blurry form that coalesced above him.

Long hair spilled down around him and the person gasped too as if startled to see Keith. Before he could utter any kind of reaction, the form came into sharp focus shocking Keith silent. He reached down to touch Keith’s face as he trembled with pleasant aftershocks.

“It worked,” said Lotor. That was the first time Keith heard his voice, smooth and accented, settling into his mind from within.

When Shiro cried out and lodged his knot inside his tight canal the vision abruptly ended. Keith reached up to touch him as he came, momentarily worried he wasn’t really there. Shiro moaned with his release, eyebrows drawn together as he tried to thrust, placing a hand over one of Keith’s.

He slumped over Keith panting harshly as he kissed wherever his lips could reach a few times. A sudden realization dawned on Keith as he looked down at the crown of Shiro’s head. A flash of a past memory temporarily lapsed over Shiro’s body and he now understood why he looked so familiar.

As much as he hated to admit it, maybe everything that was happening really was fate. Shiro carefully rolled them onto their side and lazily pet Keith’s hair. Watching Shiro’s serene face as he nearly dozed off Keith was surprised he hadn’t noticed sooner. He couldn’t wait to tell Lance.  

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lance stretched out on the futons, blankets, and pillows he and Sven had dragged out onto the balcony. It was a summertime habit of his to want to be outdoors during his heats. The fresh air helped him feel better as did being able to smell and hear the ocean. They had already gone at it once and Sven had disappeared to do gods know what.

“Hei, I’m back.” Sven emerged onto the balcony with a tray in his hands. He walked over to the makeshift fluff nest and set it down beside it. He jumped back onto the futon and tackled Lance in hug, kissing him playfully on random parts of his body. “I missed you, kitten.”

“I missed you too,” said Lance kissing him back a couple times. “And of course I missed that giant cock of yours. How do you manage to haul it around the house with you? If the neighbors could see they’d get quite the show.”

Sven shrugged and smoothed out a flat spot to move the tray onto. “I wouldn’t mind. Scandinavians are quite comfortable being naked, and it helps since it’s so hot here.”

“I see.” Lance plucked a piece of mango from the tray and wondered where Sven had found it. He ate it slowly then took a sip of the lemon flavored water. “You spoil me too much.”

“Never,” declared Sven feeding Lance a blueberry with cream on it. “I like you and I like your house. It’s peaceful here…and luxurious. Plus, you don’t force me to wear clothes.”

Lance laughed trying not to spit out the blueberry. “Forcing you to wear clothes sounds like a crime against humanity, I would never!”

Sven blushed and waved dismissively before they continued to eat. It was a nice, light snack to keep Lance going since he’d forgotten to eat something when they arrived. At some point Sven magically produced a can of whip cream, smiling mischievously.

“Can I decorate you a little?” he asked waggling his eyebrows.

“Sure, why the hell not?” Lance had never really tried food play before, but he wasn’t averse to it, and of course it was Sven suggesting it before anyone else.

After moving the tray aside, Sven shook the can and popped off the lid one-handed with a smirk. He pushed Lance onto his back then sprayed a dollop of cream on to each of his nipples. Lance watched in amusement as Sven leaned over and licked one, delicately sucking the nub clean. He moved onto the next one and Lance could already feel heat rushing to his pelvis. Sven gave his abdomen the same treatment, putting a trail of dollops down it and leisurely licking them off.

Finally, he made it to Lance’s crotch and sprayed a tiny bit on the tip of his half hard cock. “It looks so delicious,” he said smiling up at Lance.

“Oh my gods, why are you like this? I-oooh…”

Lance devolved into moans when Sven licked the whip cream off his dick then took the entire thing into his mouth, humming happily. It didn’t take much to work Lance fully hard and Sven dipped a few fingers inside his entrance, probing for good spots. With uncanny precision, he found and rubbed around Lance’s prostate until he was shooting down his throat.

“That’s my good little kitten,” said Sven withdrawing and wiping his mouth. He rubbed Lance’s thigh soothingly as he came down from the sudden high. “Ready for round two?”

Lance looked down as Sven moved up over his body and nodded, reaching out for him. As Sven pushed into him, his mind wandered to Keith. It certainly wasn’t the first time they’d split up like that during their heats but he still wished Keith had come home with him. Even if alpha pheromones were hard for him to ignore once he got going he missed the comfort of having his normal partner around. After they finished he decided he needed to call Keith.

 

 

* * *

 

 

A faint but familiar tune drifted into the bedroom, lulling Keith from his latest nap. They’d had one more round which Keith urged Shiro to go much harder during. He had hesitated to comply until Keith had simply pushed him down and rode him like a cowboy. After enjoying himself for a moment, Shiro had taken the hint and tossed Keith onto his belly, fucking him hard and fast. They both fell asleep afterwards, still connected.

It didn’t take long for Keith to realize the tune was his ringtone. He slinked off the bed cursing softly as come started leaking down his thigh. He grabbed a random article of clothing off the floor and wiped it up as he rushed into the living room, nearly stubbing his toe on an end table. Rifling through his bag, the voicemail got the call before he could answer, but he knew who it was. He hit the redail button and waited, hoping Lance wasn’t in the middle of an epic voicemail rant.

“Keith! Where are you?” Lance’s voice instantly calmed his nerves.

As was his habit, even while home, Keith wandered to the window and drew aside the curtain to peek outside. It was dark and he could hear crickets singing. “I’m at Shiro’s house.”

“What?! Really?!” Lance laughed. “That is so like you to go confront the guy. I’m assuming it went well?”

“Yeah, it’s fine.” Keith paused as he walked back to the couch. The blanket was still covering it so he sat down and finished off his water from earlier. “Hey…I have something important to tell you but I’m not sure I should do it over the phone.”

“Then come over,” said Lance. “Sven is still here but I can kick him out…don’t look at me like that, you know Keith takes precedence.”

While the idea of sticking Shiro in an awkward situation for revenge sounded fun, Keith wasn’t in the mood to travel quite yet. The fact he had even made it to Shiro’s during a heat was rare enough, yet the desire to return to Lance was tugging at him too.

“Why don’t we wait until morning – or afternoon, whichever happens when we wake up. Shiro took at least one day off work so we can all talk about this together.”    

“Sounds good. I love you and I’m glad you’re okay and not mad at me.”

“Love you too.” Keith waited until Lance said goodbye and hung up. Truth be told, it was hard for him to stay mad at anyone that long. His anger usually came in hammer smacks, intense but brief.

After tossing his phone back into his bag, Keith looked around the serene, dim interior of the home. The floor was pale gray tile and the walls beige, much more neutral than the exterior would lead you to believe. There was a large painting hanging behind the couch he hadn’t noticed at all until then. It was stylized and likely Japanese. Other than that there were trinkets but of a more generic variety. Some cactuses and plants, decorative jars and containers, candles that had never been lit. There were a few smaller prints of paintings hanging on the walls, each fitting the theme of the main one but different artists, and no family photos.

He glanced into the kitchen as he passed on his way to the bathroom. All the appliances seemed fairly new and the place had obviously been remodeled since he pegged its age at least 60 years old. It was a house someone put love into and he would bet money Shiro had done it himself.

When he crawled back under the covers, Shiro immediately rolled over and flopped a heavy arm across his chest. The action seemed to wake him slightly since he pulled Keith closer and hummed deep in his throat.

“Hey, baby…where’d you go?” he asked without even opening his eyes.

“Bathroom,” said Keith tracing the arm draped over him. He felt several scars under the tattoo designs and a chill ran down his spine.

How had he not recognized Shiro when they first met? The fates certainly worked in mysterious ways, and the longer he spent with the pagans the more he saw their threads weaving into his life. And speaking of threads, why was he suddenly seeing Lotor in dreams and visions? He wanted to talk to Thace about it but wondered how he’d explain the sex vision without dying of embarrassment.

He drifted off into a blissfully dreamless sleep, safely tucked in Shiro’s embrace. When he woke to the soft light of predawn filtering past the curtains his body felt sticky and overheated. Shiro shifted behind him and Keith was happy to feel his morning wood slide against his ass.

“Shiro,” he said with a gravelly voice, reaching back to grope at his neck and head. “Please…I need you.”

“Mmm…okay.” Shiro yawned and stretched.

Shiro fucked him slow and deep from the side, satisfying yet another cycle with a final thrust of his knot. He must have dozed off afterwards because he woke to the sensation of Shiro sliding out of him. Keith watched him get out of bed and disappear out the door, probably headed for the bathroom. He fell asleep again after starfishing across the bed.

Time passed strangely as Keith drifted in and out of consciousness. Clips of stunted dreams played through his mind and he didn’t even recognize most of the people in them. The last one contained a regal looking man sitting on a large chair in a dark room, draped with swaying cloth. He had piercing blue eyes that locked onto Keith’s and his gut churned in response. This man had power. This man was important.

“Keith,” he spoke, and the voice reverberated in his skull. “The time of prophecies is once again upon us. They will seek you out. Tread carefully.”

He woke with a start when Shiro sat heavily on the side of the bed. Gods he really wished pagans could be more direct once in a while. The warning was ominous and so vaguely worded it could mean anything.    

“I made some breakfast,” said Shiro gently massaging one of his arms. “Are you hungry?”

Despite all the weird stuff he was processing, Keith smiled and nodded. They ate in the breakfast nook which had cozy bench seating. Shiro agreed to go to Lance’s and further discuss the situation and they both showered. That led to some more fooling around but Keith could tell his heat was on the downswing. Shorter than usual but he wasn’t complaining. He was a little sad to leave the house so soon and gave it one last lingering look before climbing into Shiro’s truck. Any gloom Keith felt vanished as they drove over the intracostal waterway and onto beachside.

Shiro pulled up the driveway of the Blue House as Keith sent a text to Lance. Sven’s car was still there so there was a chance they were going at it, and while that would be a nice show Shiro may be scarred. When they walked past the car Shiro laughed and shook his head, certainly recognizing it. Keith didn’t bother to check his phone and just let himself into the house with Shiro on his heels.

“Is…that a pagan thing to do?” he asked, sliding the bag off Keith’s shoulder when he stopped in the foyer. “Just letting yourself into people’s homes?”

“Are you serious?” snorted Keith. “I have a key to this house but Lance doesn’t lock the doors often. Come on, let’s go see what kinda compromising situation we can catch him in.”

Shiro blushed and hesitated before following Keith into the kitchen. Nobody was there or in the living room but Keith knew Lance liked to be outdoors a lot during his heats. He told Shiro to drop the bag on the floor and waved him over to the back porch. The doors were open and Keith didn’t even have to peek to know they were out there.

When he rounded the corner, he caught them lounging on a futon, Sven playfully feeding Lance what looked like a piece of watermelon. Lance wore a robe but gods knew if anything was underneath it. Sven on the other hand…

“Hey, guys,” said Keith, amused when both their heads swiveled towards him.

“How nice to see you again, Keith.” Sven sat up as Lance leaned over the arm railing, reaching for Keith. “And is that a Shiro I see behind you?”

Sven hopped off the bed as Keith went over to Lance and he was predictably naked as a jaybird. Covering his eyes, Shiro groaned. Undeterred, Sven walked right up to him and clapped a hand on his back a couple times.

“Scored yourself a cute little pistol there,” proclaimed Sven with a wink, elbowing his friend.

Shiro let his hand drop and smiled fondly. “Somehow I’m glad to see that it wasn’t just at my house that you like to walk around naked.”

“I told you this is part of what it means to be Scandinavian but you didn’t believe me.” Sven crossed his arms and leaned against Shiro, who only looked mildly put out. “Remember how you thought I was trying to come on to you?”    

“Ahaha, yeah, I was flattered but you’re not my type.”

“A shame, really,” laughed Sven. “Okay! If you’re sure you’re okay, Lance, I’m going to get dressed and go home.”

“I’m fine, Sven, thank you for everything,” said Lance casually hugging Keith.

“Anytime, kitten.” Sven pat Shiro’s back again. “See you at work, big guy. Don’t let these two wear you out. Or maybe let them because it would definitely be fun.”

After Sven left the porch, Lance waved Shiro over. “Have a seat, and please take your shoes off. You too, Keith, since you should know better.”

Keith rolled his eyes but complied as Shiro did the same. Soon they were all comfortably seated on the futon and when Keith slipped a hand under Lance’s robe, Shiro noticed he was naked underneath. He also smelled like another alpha, which was bothering him. The knowledge it was his friend wasn’t lessening his urge to toss Lance facedown and have his way with him.

“I know that look,” drawled Lance, stretching out and draping a leg over Shiro’s lap. “You’re welcome to have me if it’ll calm you down.”

The second the suggestion left Lance’s lips Shiro felt his cock filling out in his pants. For a brief moment he wondered if Lance had cast some kind of on-the-fly spell on him, but then remembered it was a normal reaction even to unclaimed partners. He hadn’t experienced it in a while and it made his skin crawl.

“At the very least, take off some clothes.” Lance had twisted around and was already tugging Keith’s shirt off. He seemed content to let Lance manhandle him as he disrobed him.

The sound of Sven’s Charger revving from the driveway cut through the porch and Shiro sighed. He had no excuse to keep his clothes on now so he started methodically shucking them off. Keith was down to his underwear and it had been amusing watching them struggle to get his pants off his feet.

“I doubt we’re going to get much rational discussion accomplished this way, guys,” said Shiro hesitating only briefly before sliding off his underwear.

“Pagans are masters of rational discussion during sex,” declared Lance glancing over his shoulder. He laid his head on Keith’s lap and lifted his robe aside to display his ass. “Go on, test the theory.”

“You two are going to kill me,” mumbled Shiro grabbing Lance’s hips. He pulled him closer and spread his legs, taking a moment to gawk and massage at the cheeks. “Let me know if you’re uncomfortable or I need to stop.”

“So, you’re still having doubts about us – _aaah_ …” Lance trailed off as Shiro pushed into him from behind. The sensation of being filled so full was definitely distracting, but he was sure it would pass. In a minute. Maybe. He hummed as Shiro pulled out and pushed back in.

“Isn’t…that to be…expected?” Shiro asked through panting breaths as he continued to thrust.

“Mmm, yeah, totally.” Lance shifted his hips and moaned. “We have doubts too…but _fuck_ , we could’ve done worse.”

Keith chuckled quietly as he watched the spectacle before him play out. He rubbed himself through his underwear and felt the mild tingling of another cycle. With any luck getting off through some good old fashioned self love would stave it off since he still needed to share his revelation. Lance started moaning and the sound shot right to his dick, making it throb a couple times under his hand. He eased it out and started stroking it slowly.

“I’m sorry about this.” Shiro groaned and thrust faster, indicating he was probably close to finishing. “My suppressants normally keep this stuff at bay. Oooh shit…mmm, I’m gonna knot-”

“So virile…ah!” Lance groped for Keith at the end of the bed with one hand and shoved the other between his legs.   

Keith scooted forward a bit and laced his fingers with Lance’s. “That’s so hot, babe,” he murmured, pumping his cock faster. “Once he shoves that knot in you are you gonna come?”

On cue, Shiro let out a couple cries and stuttered to a stop. His hands slid over the soft fabric of Lance’s robe, rucking it up as he trembled through his release. “God,” he gasped. “That feels…so good.”

Still panting, Shiro snaked a hand between Lance and the mattress, wrapped it around Lance’s and helped jerk him off. Vocal as usual, Lance chanted Shiro’s name until he spilled hotly onto the sheets. The erotic display pushed Keith over the edge and he came too, trying to aim away from Lance. Honestly, it didn’t much matter where fluids landed during heats but he figured maybe this time he should be courteous.

“Feel better?” asked Keith, and really it could be directed at either one of them.

Shiro hummed and nodded, leaning over to kiss the back of Lance’s neck. Lance reached back and hooked a hand around the back of Shiro’s neck, keeping him there for a moment.

“Good.” Keith absently caressed Lance’s back before moving to Shiro’s shoulder. “Now that you both are fucked out and stuck here, I have something to tell you.”

“What is it?” Shiro sat up and Keith’s hand slipped from his body back to Lance’s.  

“You had an accident some odd years back, right?” Keith looked directly into Shiro’s eyes and saw confusion melt into reflection. “A really bad one.”

Lance made a noise and shifted up on his arms, expression troubled. “Wait a second…”

“You should’ve died but somehow didn’t,” continued Keith. “The doctors probably called you a miracle case.”

“How…do you know that?” Shiro’s brows knit as a shadow fell over his face.

“Because,” Keith paused as Lance gripped his hand tightly, “We saved your life that night.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that the Summer Solstice is over it's time to move on to the next sabbat~ There's some strange things ramping up and my boy, Keith, has terrible timing as usual lol
> 
> Thanks for reading! You can scream at me on my main [ghostmoonchild](http://ghostmoonchild.tumblr.com/) or side blog [starchildkeith](http://starchildkeith.tumblr.com/)~


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